Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, the much-anticipated, VFX-heavy retelling of the Hindu mythological epic, arrived in cinemas across India on Thursday to largely positive audience reactions, with viewers praising its grand visual treatment and performances, particularly those of Ranbir Kapoor and Yash.
The first instalment of the two-part adaptation features Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The big-budget production opened across 11,621 shows nationwide, marking an extensive theatrical rollout.
As the first screenings concluded, reactions began emerging from cinema halls and social media platforms. While several viewers applauded the cinematography, computer-generated imagery and the actors' interpretations of familiar characters, others felt the film fell short in its dialogues and storytelling.
๐ฉ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ
A moviegoer who watched the film in 3D at Fun Republic in Mumbai's Andheri praised its visual effects and attention to detail, describing the adaptation as both majestic and realistic.
"The VFX, the CGI and everything is so majestic. Yet the film felt very realistic, a very accurate portrayal of Ramayana as our culture and history dictate. They showed all the details and were thorough with it," the viewer told PTI.
The audience member also appreciated the consistency in the character portrayals, saying the filmmakers remained committed to their creative interpretations throughout the narrative.
Yash's portrayal of Ravana emerged as one of the most discussed aspects of the film, with viewers appreciating his restrained performance rather than a conventional portrayal of the antagonist.
"Yash as Ravana, marvellous. He was how I imagined Ravana to be. Not a typical mainstream Lankesh or Ravana. He did a more subtle and wonderful job," the viewer said.
Another audience member praised Yash's dialogue delivery, particularly his use of Sanskrit, saying the actor appeared to have invested considerable effort in preparing for the role.
Kapoor's portrayal of Lord Ram also received appreciation, with one viewer saying the actor kept the audience engaged throughout the first half.
"When it was Rama's turn, I didn't know what Ranbir Kapoor would do. Ranbir Kapoor kept me tied up. So first half, full paisa vasool," the moviegoer said.
๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ, ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐
Another viewer described the film as magnificent, particularly appreciating Tiwari's direction, the cinematography by Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye, and the elaborate visual effects.
"I love the movie. Especially the direction by Nitesh Tiwari is really noteworthy. It is a 3.25-hour movie, but you will not get bored even for a single second," the viewer said.
Although acknowledging that the film took time to establish its narrative, the moviegoer maintained that its visual presentation sustained interest throughout.
Not all reactions were favourable, however. One audience member expressed disappointment, arguing that the film did not justify the expectations surrounding its reported budget and scale.
"It's a big-budget movie, so I thought it would be good. But after watching the movie, I'm disappointed. There's nothing special in the movie. I watched it in 3D, so I got some entertainment," the viewer said.
The moviegoer also criticised the direction and dialogues, comparing the film unfavourably with the earlier television adaptation of the epic.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
On social media, several users praised the film's action sequences, particularly the opening confrontation between Ravana and Lord Indra, portrayed by Kunal Kapoor.
One user on X described the film as "Peak Cinema" and urged others to watch it, calling the Indra-Ravana confrontation an exceptional cinematic experience.
Another widely discussed sequence involved Jatayu, the mythological bird whose voice has been provided by veteran actor Anupam Kher.
Clips of the Jatayu-Ravana battle circulated on X, with viewers singling out the sequence as one of the film's highlights.
"Entire Jatayu sequence is worth my ticket #Ramayana," one user wrote, while another described the confrontation as "peak cinema".
The first instalment ends with Rama resolving to rescue Sita, followed by a glimpse of Lord Hanuman flying across the ocean. His face remains concealed, setting up the character's introduction in the second instalment.
Sunny Deol is set to portray Hanuman in the sequel, scheduled for release in 2028.
๐๐ถ๐น๐บ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฑ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ
The film also drew appreciation from prominent members of the Indian film industry, including Alia Bhatt, SS Rajamouli and Karan Johar.
Bhatt expressed pride in her husband Ranbir Kapoor, sharing photographs of him with their daughter Raha from the film's sets.
She said Kapoor had "poured everything into this one" and praised the cast and crew for dedicating themselves to the project.
"Some stories are bigger than all of us and Ramayana is one of them," she wrote on Instagram.
Filmmaker SS Rajamouli praised the production's scale and visual effects, describing Kapoor as "serene yet magnificent" in the role of Lord Rama.
He also appreciated Yash's commanding portrayal of Ravana and Pallavi's performance as Sita, while singling out the pre-climax and climax sequences for praise.
Rajamouli congratulated producer Namit Malhotra, Tiwari and the entire team for their work on the adaptation.
Karan Johar also expressed admiration for the film, describing the epic as a story deeply embedded in India's cultural consciousness.
Johar said he was "blown away" by the cinematic treatment and applauded the filmmakers for translating an ambitious vision into reality.
"I salute, I applaud and I have the deepest respect for each and every team member of Ramayana.... All of us can dream it... they actually went out and achieved it!!!!" he wrote.
The film's opening-day reception reflected both the excitement surrounding its large-scale adaptation and the high expectations associated with bringing one of India's most familiar epics to the big screen.