Mumbai: National Award-winning composer, singer and actor GV Prakash Kumar has revealed that he has lent his voice to Yash’s Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari’s much-anticipated Ramayana: Part 1. In an exclusive conversation with India Today Digital, the musician recalled receiving an unexpected call from composer AR Rahman shortly after returning from Ayodhya, inviting him to sing for the epic.
For GV Prakash, the opportunity came at a particularly memorable moment. He had just visited Ayodhya for the first time to launch Awadhiya Ke Raja, a song from Yami Gautam’s film Nayyi Navelli. What began as a special visit soon turned into an unexpected professional milestone when Rahman contacted him about the ambitious mythological project.
“The moment I came back from Ayodhya, I sang a song for Ramayana. It was surreal. I never expected that,” GV Prakash said.
The musician revealed that he had not known beforehand that he would be involved in the film. The opportunity came while he was returning from the airport.
“I didn’t know beforehand. While I was coming back from the airport, I got a call from AR Rahman asking me to come and sing,” he recalled.
The revelation adds an interesting detail to the music-making process behind one of Indian cinema’s most ambitious upcoming productions. Although GV Prakash has established himself as a composer and performer across several film industries, he clarified that his contribution to Ramayana is specifically as a singer.
GV Prakash lends his voice to Yash’s Ravana
One of the biggest revelations from the interview was GV Prakash’s confirmation that he had sung for Yash’s portrayal of Ravana.
Yash, known for his performance as Rocky Bhai in the K.G.F. franchise, is taking on the role of the central antagonist in Tiwari’s two-part adaptation of the Ramayana.
GV Prakash said that being associated with the project was a significant experience, even though his contribution was limited to singing.
“The world of the film is what drives us to it. I’m happy to have done a small part in the film. I’m a singer; I was called to sing for Ramayana. It was a huge thing for me to be part of this film,” he said.
His comments suggest that the scale and world of the film were important factors in making the experience memorable for him.
The collaboration also brings together several prominent names from Indian and international music. AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer are associated with the film’s music, while GV Prakash has now revealed his own contribution as a vocalist.
The precise details of the song, including its placement in the film and whether it will accompany a specific scene featuring Ravana, were not disclosed in the interview.
AR Rahman’s unexpected call made the moment special
GV Prakash’s account highlights how an unexpected professional opportunity can emerge from a seemingly unrelated moment.
The musician had travelled to Ayodhya to participate in the launch of Awadhiya Ke Raja, a song associated with Nayyi Navelli. Soon after returning from the city, he received Rahman’s call asking him to come in and sing for Ramayana.
GV Prakash said he had not anticipated becoming part of the project, making the invitation all the more surprising.
The opportunity is also notable because Rahman is among the most prominent composers in Indian cinema, with a career spanning decades and work across Indian and international productions.
For GV Prakash, who has built a career as both a composer and singer, the experience represented a chance to contribute to a large-scale epic under Rahman’s musical direction.
Although he described his role as a small part of the larger production, he made it clear that the opportunity carried considerable personal significance.
First visit to Ayodhya adds to the experience
The call from Rahman came just after GV Prakash’s first visit to Ayodhya, adding a personal dimension to the sequence of events.
The Nayyi Navelli team chose the city as the venue for launching Awadhiya Ke Raja, believing that it would be a meaningful location for the song.
GV Prakash said the visit had been special in itself.
“We launched the song in Ayodhya, so we thought it would be special to go there and launch it. It was my first time in Ayodhya, and it was very special for me to be there,” he said.
The musician’s trip to a city closely associated with Lord Rama was followed by an invitation to sing for a film based on the epic. He described the experience as surreal, given the unexpected timing of the call.
The sequence of events also connects his work on Nayyi Navelli with his new association with Ramayana, even though the two projects are separate productions.
GV Prakash explains his approach to film music
During the interview, GV Prakash also spoke about how he approaches composing music for films.
He explained that the process begins with understanding the genre and story before developing the musical soundscape. According to him, the music should emerge from the script rather than being designed independently of the film’s narrative.
“First, it’s the genre, then the story, and then the sound. The sound is derived from the script. The first narration is very important because that’s where we decide the sound, its structure and the sound world of the film,” he explained.
The comments offer insight into how a composer begins shaping the musical identity of a project.
In a film such as Ramayana, which draws on a well-known epic and features a large ensemble cast, the music has an important role in establishing atmosphere, emotion and the distinction between characters and their worlds.
GV Prakash did not reveal details about the specific track he recorded for the film, but his comments emphasised the importance of understanding a story before making musical choices.
GV Prakash dreams of collaborating with Hans Zimmer
The interview also touched on GV Prakash’s musical ambitions. When asked which composer he would like to collaborate with, he named Hans Zimmer.
Zimmer, known for his work on major Hollywood productions, is associated with the music of Ramayana alongside AR Rahman.
GV Prakash’s involvement as a singer therefore places him within a production that brings together musicians with different backgrounds and approaches to film scoring. However, his comments did not establish that he had worked directly with Zimmer.
His mention of Zimmer reflected a professional aspiration rather than confirmation of a direct collaboration.
What to expect from Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation of the ancient epic attributed to Valmiki.
Ramayana: Part 1 stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble also includes Sunny Deol, Arun Govil, Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh and Lara Dutta, among others.
The film’s second trailer was unveiled in Bengaluru on October 15. The promotional footage features Ranbir Kapoor as Rama declaring his intention to defeat evil, while Yash’s Ravana presents himself as the ruler of the three realms. It also offers glimpses of Sai Pallavi as Sita and Jatayu’s attempt to stop Ravana.
The project has attracted considerable attention because of its scale, cast and collaboration between Indian and international creative teams. AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer are associated with the film’s music.
Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 5, coinciding with the Diwali holiday, according to the information provided.
A surprise opportunity becomes a career highlight
GV Prakash’s entry into Ramayana came without advance expectations. A first visit to Ayodhya for a song launch was followed by an unexpected call from AR Rahman, leading to an opportunity to sing for Yash’s Ravana.
While the musician described his contribution as small, he also called the experience a huge moment in his career.
His account offers a glimpse into the work behind the film while adding another name to the list of artists contributing to the ambitious adaptation.
With the release of Ramayana: Part 1 approaching, audiences will have to wait for the film to discover how GV Prakash’s voice features in the cinematic portrayal of the epic.