The epic Ramayana Part 1 begins with the backstory of how the musically oriented young boy is brainwashed by his mother to rise and fight for the rights of Asuras. Kuber, the one time king of Lanka had to give up his kingdom and the initial 25 minutes of this 3 hour 15 minutes film is dedicated to the explanation of how and why a simple young boy turns into Ravana – the mighty ‘Lord of the three worlds’.
Ramkatha resonates with the religious belief of over a billion people , and director Nitesh Tiwari defines this film as an artistic portrayal of Lord Ram’s trials and triumphs. Accordingly, this review is a critical appraisal of that on-screen art, not a commentary on the holy epic Ramayan.
The film opens by tracing the origins of Ravana’s descent into a demon king, before shifting focus to the grand, vibrant spectacles of Ayodhya. Here, we witness King Dasharatha being blessed with four sons, with Rama as the eldest. The narrative follows the Raghuvanshi princes as they are mentored by Sage Vishwamitra, moving seamlessly into the grand spectacle of the Sita Swayamvar. However, the grandeur quickly gives way to tragedy when Queen Kaikeyi invokes ancient boons to demand Rama’s fourteen-year exile—forcing Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana to abandon the kingdom for the wilderness.
From Exile to Abduction: Visual Highs Amid Familiar Beats
The tranquil exile is shattered when Shurpanakha falls for Rama, leading a protective Lakshmana to sever the demoness’s nose in a fit of rage. Seeking retribution, she appeals to her brother, Ravana, who orchestrates the high-stakes abduction of Sita. From here on, the screenplay moves through milestones intimately familiar to almost every viewer.
Among the film’s primary strengths is its grounded exploration of a young Asura boy’s evolution into the demon king, Ravana. The narrative further shines in its action set-pieces, particularly the visually spectacular battle against Tataka and her brother in the jungle. Equally impressive is the sequence where Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita defend themselves against Shurpanakha’s rakshasa army, featuring a highly impactful “tornado” visual effect.
Character Highlights and Standout Cinematic Sequences in Ramayana Part 1
Rakul Preet Singh brings a charming, enticing allure to her portrayal of Shurpanakha. Equally compelling is the film’s unique depiction of Ravana’s internal conflict, offering a deep, introspective look into his dilemma over avenging his sister’s humiliation.
The true showstopper, however, is Ravana’s legendary Pushpaka Vimana. This magnificent, flower-shaped flying chariot is reimagined as a rotating lotus, brought to life through vibrant colors and a strikingly realistic rotation of its mechanical petals.
The film’s absolute zenith is the heartbreaking sequence where Jatayu, the divine bird, attempts to rescue Sita from the flying Pushpaka Vimana. Visually transcendent, this sequence stands out as one of the rare, poignant moments where the film successfully strikes a deep emotional chord.
The first part of the movie completely belongs to Yash. He looks very powerful on screen and plays the role of Ravana perfectly. His acting as the King of Asuras is full of energy and mass, completely stealing the show in every scene he is in.
Where the Epic Falters: Structural Drags and Missing Divine Grace
On the negative side, the film falters in its pacing and tone. The bleak depiction of the suffering Asuras living in absolute poverty feels overly depressed and dark. Additionally, Lakshmana’s “forced comic” interruptions feel like street-smart guesses that break the serious mood. Finally, the long backstory of Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva and his fight with Ravana eats up too much screen time.
The lead casting struggles to capture the true essence of its divine subjects. While Sai Pallavi is highly talented, her look lacks the ethereal, divine grace expected of Goddess Sita. Similarly, Ranbir Kapoor barely gets by as Maryada Purushottama; he successfully projects royal majesty and warrior strength but completely misses the profound spiritual calm traditionally associated with Lord Rama.
Ravi Dubey is perfectly cast as Ram’s loyal brother. He suits the character. Lara Dutta is impressive as Kaikeyi who forces upon King Dasharatha for exiling Rama for fourteen years in the jungles. Saurabh Sachdeva is impressive as Maricha who turns into a golden deer in the scheme to abduct Sita Maa.
Lets hope that Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Raghav Juyal as Meghanada (Ravana’s powerful son) turn up with some memorable performances in Ramayana Part 2 that is scheduled to release next year.
Ultimately, the film Ramayana Part 1 successfully builds a breathtaking world of gold and myth, yet it forgets to build a bridge to the human heart. A towering monument that commands our awe, but never manages to capture our empathy.
– Review by Paresh B Mehta
Cast of Ramayana Part 1:
Ranbir Kapoor as Rama
Sai Pallavi as Sita
Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana
Yash as Ravana
Arun Govil as Dasharatha
Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi
Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya
Sonal Jha as Sumitra
Rajiv Kumar as Janaka
Adinath Kothare as Bharata
Nitish Sharma as Shatrughna
Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari
Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha
Anupam Kher as Jatayu (voice-over)
Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva
Harish Uthaman as Vibhishana
Kunal Kapoor as Indra
Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara
Shishir Sharma as Vasishtha
Ajinkya Deo as Vishvamitra
Mukesh Tiwari as Agastya
Sonia Balani as Urmila
Raghav Juyal as Meghanada
Faisal Malik as Kumbhakarna
Parminder Chhada as Subahu
Saurabh Sachdeva as Maricha
Credits of Ramayana Part 1:
Production companies – Prime Focus Studios, Monster Mind Creations, DNEG
Produced by Namit Malhotra, Yash
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari
Screenplay by Shridhar Raghavan, Nitesh Tiwari
Dialogues by Shreyas Jain, Nitesh Tiwari
Based on Valmiki Ramayana
Cinematography – Pankaj Kumar, Mahesh Limaye
Edited by Huzefa Lokhandwala
Music by Hans Zimmer, A. R. Rahman
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