On Ganesh Chaturthi, the makers of 'Ramayana' treated fans to a new glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi as Lord Rama and Sita. The poster captures a tender moment between the two characters, with Rama placing a flower in Sita's hair against a serene, picturesque setting.
The new visual adds to the anticipation around Nitesh Tiwari's ambitious adaptation of the epic, which brings together a large ensemble cast and a massive visual canvas.
Trailer introduces key characters
The trailer opens with Ravana, played by Yash, with his face concealed under a shawl. The character is presented as a powerful and imposing ruler who claims dominion over the tri-lok—heaven, earth and hell.
The story then moves towards the birth of Rama, who is destined to protect humankind from Ravana's atrocities.
Several prominent characters are introduced through the trailer, including Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha and Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva, the demon prince and Shurpanakha's husband. Sunny Deol, who plays Hanuman, does not appear in the trailer.
Arun Govil, best known for playing Rama in the iconic Indian television adaptation of the epic, is also part of the film as King Dasharatha, Rama's father.
The trailer places considerable emphasis on CGI, VFX and large-scale visuals as the makers attempt to present the centuries-old story for a new generation.
'Ramayana' budget crosses Rs 4,000 crore
The film has reportedly been mounted on a budget of Rs 4,000 crore for its two-part release.
Producer Namit Malhotra told NDTV, "When we set out to make this six or seven years ago, people thought I was a lunatic because no Indian film comes close to this scale. Put simply, the budget will be around $500 million for both parts combined, which is over Rs 4,000 crore."
He added, "We're making the largest film in the world for the greatest epic that deserves to be seen globally. And yet, I believe we're doing it more efficiently than some of the biggest Hollywood films. We're not being irresponsible-we're being ambitious, but grounded."
'Ramayana' is planned as a two-part film. The first part is scheduled for a worldwide release in October 2026, ahead of Diwali, while the second instalment is expected around Diwali 2027.