Ramayana REVIEW: SPECTACULAR! ‘Rama’ Ranbir Kapoor, ‘Sita’ Sai Pallavi And ‘Ravana’ Yash Bring To Life The Epic With Honesty And Flair

Film:
Ramayana - Rise Of A Legend

Director: Nitesh Tiwari

Producer: Namit Malhotra, Yash

Writer: Shridhar Raghavan, Nitesh Tiwari | Dialogues: Shreyas Jain, Nitesh Tiwari

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan, Lara Dutta, Ajinkya Deo, Sheeba Chaddha, Shobana, Faisal Malik

Runtime: 195 Minutes (3 Hours, 15 Minutes)

Platform: In Theatres

Ramayana Review

Based on Valmiki’s epic Ramayana, Namit Malhotra and Yash-produced epic is more than just the clash of good v/s evil. The over 3-hour-long film begins with the Devas defeating the Asuras and banashing them to the subterranean spaces of Lanka. It then sees the rise of the Asuras, as Dashanana, aka Ravana (Yash), after years of tapasya (meditation) atop a mountain, overpowering Devlok by defeating Lord Indra (Kunal Kapoor). He then claims Lanka from Kuber. As a boon for his tapasya, Lord Brahma promises Ravana that no God (dev), demon (asura) or any powerful being will be able to kill him.

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After the massive defeat, Lord Indra prays to Lord Vishnu to put an end to Ravana Raj. To maintain the balance of the word, Lord Vishnu comes down to eat in human form as King Dashratha’s firstborn Prince Rama (Ranbir). The narrative – just like the ancient text, follows Prince Rama as he learns scriptures, weaponry then marries Mithila’s princess Sita (Sai Pallavi), and goes into vanvas with soon after to keep his father’s promise King Dasharatha’s (Arun Govil) promise to his second wife, Queen Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta). He brother Lakshmana (Ravie Dubey) and wife Sita accompany him on this 14 year exile.

The film then sees Ravana’s sister Shurpanakha (Rakul Preet Singh) fall head over heels for Lord Rama. However, after being rejected and having her nose slice (for impersonating Sita), she complaints to her brother, leading to Ravana kidnapping Sita and flying off to Lanka.

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Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend basically follows the rise of the Asuras, Prince Rama’s childhood and marriage, his exile and Sita’s kidnapping. While the epic clash of good v/s evil – aka, Lord Rama v/s Ravana, will take place in Part 2, here’s why this Nitesh Tiwari directorial needs to be seen in theatres.

What Works

While several netizens were skeptical of Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Rama on the big screen, the actor has done 100% justice to the character with his restrained acting and serene looks. Yash commands every scene he’s in with her powerful performance. Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey maintain their own even when they are in frame with Rama or Ravana.

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The VFX, the fight sequences, the music, the cinematography and the editing all work in favour of this epci. Some of the best moments of the film come in the form of the brotherly banter between Rama and Lakshyam, the interaction between Rama and Parshurama, the emotional interaction between Rama and Queen Kaikeyi, the fight between Jatayu and Ravana and Ravana claiming his throne by shedding the blood of the devas and their soldiers.

Technical Analysis

Direction

Nitesh Tiwari has done a commendable job when it comes to bringing this timeless story deeply rooted in dharma, duty and love to life. He has made sure to tell the Indian epic with utmost honesty and making sure that he doesn’t hurt anyone by what is shown on screen and how. He is a master of his craft and that’s evident in the manner in which he brings out the innocence from Ranbir Kapoor for Lord Rama and the animalistic behaviour expected from Ravana.

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Story & Screenplay

While the film’s scale and spectacle is the talking point currently, there is no taking away from the manner in which Shridhar Raghavan and Nitesh Tiwari have penned Valmiki’s Ramayana. The duo have made sure to capture every aspect of Lord Rama’s life and even the journey of Yash’s character going from being Dashanana to becoming Ravana. The only thing I wished they included was an emotional scene between Lakshmana and Urmila before the former left for the vanvas.

Editing

Huzefa Lokhandwala has done a commendable job when it comes to editing Ramayana. Despite being over 3-hours-long, the runtime does deter you from being glued to the screen.

Cinematography & Set Design

Cinematographers Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye and the film’s set designers have done an incredible job when it comes to transporting the the audience to Ayodhya and Lanka during the time of Lord Rama. The detailing across the kingdoms, palaces and landscapes is on-point and stays true to the grandeur of the epic. While the costumes have been a major topic of discussion, they do not distract you from what’s unfolding on screen.

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VFX

DNEG’s visual effects is BEAUTIFUL. The team has done an impeccable and applause-worthy job in bringing the world of Ramayana alive with incredible detailing and scale. Be it the epic battles or the scenes beauty of Ayodhya or Mithila, or the chaos and peace of the forests, the VFX deliver a visual experience that is will transport you back in time.

Music

AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer’s collaboration is something that makes the viewing experience 100% times better. While the songs help elevate the emotions and add layers to what’s unfolding on the big screen, the background score adds tremendous depth to the storytelling. The BGM adds to the emotional weight and intensity of several key sequences.

Star Cast

Ranbir Kapoor delivers a graceful and compelling portrayal of Lord Rama. The actor – who only recently impressed fans as the toxic alpha male in Animal, succeeds in capturing the calmness, dignity, compassion, strength and righteousness of this Lord Vishnu avatar with finesse.

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Yash as Ravana is something actors are going o strive to accomplish but with have grate difficulty in achieving. He commands the screen with his powerful presence and the intensity he brings to the table is sure to make you sit upright and acknowledge that he is a formidable antagonist.

Sai Pallavi as Mata Sita is grace, dignity and beauty with a dash of boss lady energy brought to live. She beautifully showcases the Goddess’ resilience, compassion and inner strength. A commendable performance by the actress.

Ravie Dubey as Lakshmana is a breath of fresh air. His comic timing as well as his ability to showcase anger, love and devotion is applause worthy. Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha looks beautiful and vicious. She leaves an impactful mark even though her character doesn’t have as much screen time.

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Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi is beautiful. She skillfully portrays all the emotions her characters feels, especially in the pre-interval scene, where she commands Rama to leave Ayodhya. Arun Govil as King Dashratha brings a layer of emotions and responsibilities to the narrative. Anupam Kher as the voice of Jatayu is commendable, his last scene will move you to tears. Adinath Kothare as Bharat stands out and does justice to his limited role. Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva also shines in his limited role.

Conclusion

Being a non-Hindu, I have also learnt about the Ramayana through films and shows since childhood. The Namit Malhotra, Yash-produced and Nitesh Tiwari-directed Ramayana: Part 1 – Rise Of A Legend does justice to what Valmiki has written. While fans surely have questions over the clothes worn by the cast, the costumes wore in the film are the last things you will concern yourself with. The acting by all – be it the leads or the supporting cast, the cinematography, the music, the VFX – everything is top notch.

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is a must watch in theatres (IMAX in 3D will provide the best experience). It won’t disappoint, Make this Diwali a 100% better by booking tickets for yourself and your family/friends ASAP.

Watch the trailer of Ramayana here:

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Grinell Jacinto

With nearly 10 years of experience, Grinell Esther Jacinto is the Desk Head of Bollywood Bubble. Her interests lie in everything that is kaleshi and she loves to dig deeper into the lives of B-town actors. She has a problem though – she loves horror films but will have chills the minute the theatres lights dims. She’s previously worked with Koimoi, UrbanAsian and SpotboyE.