New Delhi: The first glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor playing the Hindu god Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has caught the attention of fans. He’s running across a giant tree and shooting arrows. The filmmakers, on 3 July, offered a peek into the first of the two-part magnum opus, which is set to release this Diwali. Apart from Kapoor, the upcoming movie will star Yash as Ravan, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Sai Pallavi as Sita.
The makers organised screenings across the country – Delhi, Mumbai, to Bengaluru. The Delhi event was held at PVR Select Citywalk.
It’s only toward the end of the teaser that we get a glimpse of Ram and Ravan. There’s a split-second image of Yash shrouded in a tattered shawl, with just his eyes visible.
Yash, whose films K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018) and K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022) were blockbusters, is making his Hindi debut with Ramayana. The film also marks the big screen debut of TV actor Ravi Dubey, who plays Lakshman.
The screening ended with a CGI image of Ram and Ravan facing off. The colour palette established the contrast between Ravan’s relentless power and Ram’s role as an upholder of Dharma. While Ram radiated blue, Ravan was surrounded by fiery red. The background score, created by German music composer Hans Zimmer and India’s AR Rehman, set the mood and tone for the cosmic battle.
“Ten years of Aspiration. Relentless Conviction to bring the Greatest Epic of all time to the World. An outcome through a collaboration of some of the world’s best to ensure that Ramayana is presented with the greatest amount of Reverence and Respect,” wrote Yash on X.
Ten years of Aspiration. Relentless Conviction to bring the Greatest Epic of all time to the World. An outcome through a collaboration of some of the world’s best to ensure that Ramayana is presented with the greatest amount of Reverence and Respect.
Welcome to the Beginning.…
— Yash (@TheNameIsYash) July 3, 2025
‘Ram chose me to make this film’
The Delhi screening began with recorded video messages from producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari. Dressed in a black shirt with a monogram of a bow and arrow, Malhotra spoke about the epic and its importance in Indian culture.
“It’s the story of our history, culture and truth,” stressed Malhotra before apologising for not making a physical appearance at the release event.
Tiwari’s message included an anecdote from his childhood. “When I was small, my grandparents would recite Ramayana to me, and I found it extremely fascinating. As I grew older, I started going to Ramleelas with my friends, and I was in complete awe. I genuinely believe Ram chose me to make this film.”
The videos were interspersed with behind-the-scenes clips of the film’s shoot. They showed Malhotra and Tiwari against a green screen, passionately interacting with each other and the director of photography.
Ramayana’s two segments will be released on Diwali in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)