New Delhi: Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 trailer was unveiled early Thursday, with the makers deliberately choosing Brahma Muhurat to introduce the epic to audiences worldwide.
The four-minute trailer opens with Ravana, played by Yash, pushing open the massive doors of a palace and declaring himself the ruler of the three realms. As darkness engulfs the Earth, the trailer reveals that Lord Vishnu has taken birth once again. Arun Govil appears as King Dashrath, introducing Prince Ram, played by Ranbir Kapoor, who is seen training under his guru, riding horses and mastering archery.
The trailer then revisits some of the epic’s most iconic moments, from Ram and Sita’s wedding to Ram accepting Kaikeyi’s wish and leaving for his 14-year exile with Lakshman, played by Ravi Dubey.
It also offers glimpses of Ram battling mythical creatures, Lakshman severing Shurpanakha’s nose (played by Rakul Preet Singh), and Ravana abducting Sita aboard the Pushpak Viman.
The trailer culminates with Ram’s warning to Ravana: “If Ravana is the ruler of the three realms, then all three realms shall witness his death.”
Visually, the film relies heavily on CGI and VFX to recreate the world of the epic, from the Pushpak Viman and towering mythical creatures to divine powers. The visual effects have been created by Oscar-winning studio DNEG, known for its work on Dune, Tenet, First Man, Blade Runner 2049, Interstellar and Inception.
The film’s music has also generated significant buzz, with Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman collaborating on the score. More recently, the makers announced that sitar virtuoso Rishab Rikhiram Sharma has joined the project.
Ahead of the trailer launch, the Ramayana team attended San Diego Comic-Con, where Yash spoke about the challenge of portraying Ravana.
“So, what do you bring as an actor, and what is your understanding of the character? That was the biggest challenge. Thankfully, my director and writers gave me that space, so I could play this character in a different way,” he said, adding that Ramayana was the first story he ever heard as a child, narrated by his grandfather.
(Edited by Prashant Dixit)