New Delhi: The makers of Ramayana unveiled the ambitious vision for their upcoming mythological epic at the Pratham Sankalp event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday. The star-studded gathering featured lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol, Shobhana, Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Ajinkya Deo, Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor and several members of the film’s creative team.
The event served as a curtain-raiser ahead of the film’s trailer launch at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, giving audiences an exclusive glimpse into the scale, visual ambition and creative vision behind one of Indian cinema’s most anticipated projects.
Grand showcase of the epic
The evening began with a special musical performance by Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma, who is composing the film’s soundtrack alongside Academy Award winners A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The audience was treated to exclusive visuals showcasing the film’s expansive world, principal characters and large-scale production design. Selected attendees also watched an early preview of the upcoming trailer.
The presentation highlighted the filmmakers’ efforts to blend cutting-edge visual effects with the timeless story of the Ramayana.
Nitesh Tiwari explains casting choices
Director Nitesh Tiwari shared the thought process behind casting Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita.
He said he saw Lord Rama in Ranbir’s eyes and Sita in Sai Pallavi’s, adding that beyond their acting abilities, both possessed the sincerity and emotional depth required to portray such iconic characters.
According to Tiwari, authenticity and reverence towards the source material have remained central to every creative decision throughout the filmmaking process.
Ranbir Kapoor pays tribute to Arun Govil
Ranbir Kapoor, who attended the event wearing sunglasses while recovering from an eye infection, apologised to the audience before speaking about his role.
Describing the opportunity as a blessing, he said, “The role chose me instead of the other way round.”
He then paid an emotional tribute to veteran actor Arun Govil, whose portrayal of Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s television series remains iconic for generations of viewers.
Addressing Govil, Ranbir said he had grown up seeking Lord Rama’s blessings while carrying Govil’s image in his heart. He added that if he could portray Shri Ram even a fraction as beautifully and sincerely as Govil had, he would consider his efforts successful.
The heartfelt remarks received a warm response from the audience.
Sai Pallavi calls role a rare honour
Sai Pallavi expressed gratitude for being entrusted with portraying Goddess Sita.
Speaking in Hindi, she acknowledged the enormous responsibility of bringing such a revered character to life and thanked the filmmakers for believing in her.
She said roles like Sita are rare for actors because they require complete dedication from the entire team, adding that only such collective effort can create a lasting cinematic legacy.
Yash addresses VFX criticism
Actor and co-producer Yash, who plays Ravana, also spoke about the scale of the project and addressed discussions surrounding the film’s visual effects.
He said the VFX work was still in progress and expressed confidence that the final version would achieve the highest quality standards.
Yash credited visual effects company DNEG and producer Namit Malhotra for leading the technological aspects of the project, adding that the team would continue refining the visuals until the final stages of production.
Speaking about his character, Yash described Ravana as a layered role and hinted that his journey would expand significantly in the second instalment.
Namit Malhotra on a decade-long dream
Producer Namit Malhotra described Ramayana as the culmination of nearly a decade of work.
He said the epic remains one of humanity’s greatest stories because of the timeless values it represents rather than its scale alone.
Malhotra explained that every aspect of the production—from performances and writing to music, production design and visual effects—has been created with the objective of honouring the legacy of the Ramayana while presenting it through world-class cinematic craftsmanship.
A two-part cinematic epic
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is being developed as a two-part adaptation of Maharishi Valmiki’s ancient Sanskrit epic.
The first instalment follows Lord Rama’s early life in Ayodhya, his marriage to Sita and his 14-year exile alongside Sita and Lakshmana.
The second part is expected to depict Ravana’s abduction of Sita, Rama’s alliance with Sugriva and Hanuman, and the climactic battle in Lanka.
Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, the film stars Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana, with Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh and Vivek Oberoi playing pivotal roles.
Following the New Delhi showcase, the team will take the film’s global promotional campaign to San Diego Comic-Con, where the official trailer will be unveiled before an international audience.