Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend, part one of a two-film mythological epic, opens in theatres globally during Diwali and in North America on November 5th, with special premiere shows on Wednesday, November 4th. Releasing in both English and Hindi, it is also dubbed in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, as well as Spanish, German, Japanese, and over 40 other languages. The highly anticipated film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and features Yash as Ravana, along with Sai Pallavi (Sita), Sunny Deol (Monkey God Hanuman), and Ravi Dubey (Lakshman). It also features Kunal Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi, Anupam Kher, and many more.
Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend tells the story of Rama, a prince bound by sacrifice; Ravana, an immortal king driven by vengeance; and the prophecy that binds their fates together.
Produced by Namit Malhotra and directed by Nitesh Tiwari, and adapted by award-winning screenwriter Shridhar Raghavan, Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend features music by Oscar®-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman.
In this special feature review, I spotlight the English version showcased at the Los Angeles World Premiere.
I was lucky enough to attend this special Ramayana world premiere in LA. Stars Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, producer Namit Malhotra, and director Nitesh Tiwari attended the event. Here are my review/thoughts about part 1 of this epic film.
Backstory: I am a huge, huge, huge Ranbir Kapoor fan, but I am neither Indian nor Hindu. I have Hindu friends and basic knowledge of the Ramayana, so keep that in mind since I might miss or not know too many details. Also, to haters, I was raised to learn about and RESPECT different religions.
Let’s get into it… Starting with the performances
I felt both Raavan and Rama have almost equal screen time. Yash is powerful as Raavan. He commands attention, and you end up both in awe of him and scared of him. Meanwhile, RK as Rama is calm, zen-like, and serene. While Raavan makes you anxious, when Rama is on screen, you feel a certain calm, knowing he will make everything alright. Both performances are applause-worthy, and of course I love RK as Rama more. How can one not love Lord Rama?
As I mentioned before, as an RK fan who has watched all his movies multiple times, I think Ramayana might be his most challenging role yet. He has had to strip away everything that typically sets him apart as an actor. RK brings a certain energy and intensity to his performances, but here, he has had to restrain that and convey almost everything through his eyes alone.
As a note, this is my understanding of how Ram should be based on what I was shown.
His Rama is devoid of malice and ego, embodying nothing but purity. Rama is serene and composed, never loud or extravagant. As an actor, RK had to put aside his own natural screen presence and embrace the quiet simplicity of the character. And he does an absolutely phenomenal job of it.
Sai Pallavi is a beauty and so graceful as Sita Maa. She’s delicate when she needs to be and fierce and a warrior when needed. Her chemistry with RK is very endearing and beautiful to watch. As is her chemistry with Lakshman. Talking about Lakshman, he provides many lighter moments and is so good. The rest of the cast, from Raavana’s family to Rama’s, and all the sages, are great.
The music in the English version is still in Hindi, but most songs are not included. BGM is magical. The English dubbing is with actual voices with perfect lip-syncing.
The VFX/CGI looks on par with my favorite show Game of Thrones, especially the battle scenes and the scenes with various rakshas. I only had a small issue with Jatayu’s conversation at the end of the movie; it could have been a little better, and the VFX on the bird.
This is an absolute must-see on the big screen! Ramayana: Rise of A Legend opens November 5th.
