Ramayana Movie Review: A Poetically Magical Adaptation That Humanizes the Epic
Movie – Ramayana Movie Review Rating
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Star Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Shobhana, Rakul Preet Singh, and others
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Rating: 4.5
Some stories are woven into our cultural veins and blood, passed down through generations. Director Nitesh Tiwari takes on this timeless legend with Ramayana: Part 1, choosing to ground its grand mythos in human emotion while delivering a visually spellbinding cinematic spectacle.
Written by Nitesh Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan, the film makes a bold structural choice by establishing Ravana’s backstory before introducing Lord Ram. The narrative runs parallel threads: Ravana’s rise to power through intense devotion to Lord Shiva, contrasted against Ram growing into a righteous warrior under Sage Vishvamitra. This structure transforms their eventual meeting into a clash of destiny rather than a simple battle between good and evil.
Star Performances
Yash as Ravana: Yash dominates the screen with a powerful performance that captures Ravana’s transition from a devoted scholar to a prideful emperor. Augmented by Sharad Kelkar’s commanding Hindi dubbing, his ten-headed mental monologue sequence stands out as a dramatic highlight.
Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram: Portraying Maryada Purushottama, Ranbir delivers a dignified performance marked by calm restraint and compassion, highlighting the human element of the deity.
Sai Pallavi as Sita: Serving as the emotional core of the film, Sai Pallavi brings inner strength and purity to her role, particularly during the abduction sequence.
Supporting Cast: Arun Govil (Dasharatha), Lara Dutta (Kaikeyi), and Ravie Dubey (Lakshman) provide strong support. Saurabh Sachdeva (Marich) and Sheeba Chaddha (Manthra) deliver notable appearances, though Addinath Kothare’s Bharat and the dubbing for Vivek Oberoi’s character leave room for improvement.
Direction & Other Elements
The film excels visually, featuring immersive set designs of Ayodhya and Lanka paired with sophisticated CGI. The background score by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman elevates the narrative scale, though the standalone song tracks are less impactful.
On the screenplay front, the movie occasionally rushes through key milestones—including the Swayamvara, the exile, and the confrontation with Parshuram reducing the emotional weight of iconic moments.
Last Word
Ramayana: Part 1 balances cinematic scale with genuine heart. Despite a fast-paced first half, its strong lead performances, structural approach, and technical craftsmanship set a high benchmark for the story’s continuation in Part 2.
