The most expensive film in Indian cinema history, a lavish two-part retelling of the Hindu epic Ramayana, has officially opened in theatres worldwide. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is an ambitious production designed to introduce one of India's foundational stories to a global audience. The project boasts a massive reported budget of $500 million, bringing together major Indian stars, Hollywood-standard visual effects, and a collaborative score by Oscar-winning composers AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The narrative follows the traditional arc of the Ramayana, centering on themes of duty, exile, and conflict within a realm inhabited by gods, demons, and powerful kingdoms. Ranbir Kapoor portrays the virtuous prince Ram of Ayodhya, who is banished into the forest for 14 years. He is joined by his wife Sita, played by Sai Pallavi, until she is abducted by Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka, portrayed by southern Indian star Yash. While this first installment establishes the conflict, the climactic battle is slated for the second part, scheduled for release next year.
To achieve the film’s grand scale, producer Namit Malhotra tapped into the expertise of his visual-effects firm, DNEG, which has previously contributed to high-profile Hollywood productions like Dune and Interstellar. The musical score marks a notable collaboration between India's AR Rahman and Hollywood veteran Hans Zimmer, reflecting the film's international aspirations. The release was strategically timed to coincide with the approach of Diwali, the festival marking Ram's return to Ayodhya, a period of significant cultural importance in India.
Despite the immense anticipation and production value, the film has elicited a mixed response from critics. Domestically, reactions varied significantly. Saibal Chatterjee, writing for NDTV, awarded the film three out of five stars, noting that while the spectacle is impressive, the acting remains inconsistent and the scale occasionally overshadows the core story. Conversely, Rishabh Suri of the Hindustan Times offered a four-star review, emphasizing that the massive investment is evident on screen, though he found the film's first half to be sluggish.
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express also gave the film three stars, noting that she was initially skeptical of its extravagance but ultimately found it a successful, thrilling epic. International critics were similarly polarized. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praised the film as a "spectacular Indian epic melodrama," comparing its narrative depth to Homeric epics and the visual grandeur of fantasy blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings. However, other reviewers were less favorable; IGN’s Siddhant Adlakha awarded it four out of 10, criticizing the action sequences and the quality of the computer-generated imagery.
Controversy also arose regarding the use of AI technology to adjust the actors' lip movements for the English-language version. While director Nitesh Tiwari stated that the intent was to improve accessibility for international viewers, the technique drew sharp criticism from some reviewers, who described the effect as distracting. Furthermore, some critics suggested that the vast, complex narrative of the Ramayana might have been more effectively presented as a multi-part television series, similar to the format of Game of Thrones.
For many Indian viewers, the film inevitably invites comparisons to Ramanand Sagar’s iconic 1987 television adaptation of the Ramayana. That series was a cultural phenomenon, drawing estimated audiences of 80 to 100 million and commanding a devotional reverence that brought public life to a standstill during its broadcast. In a nod to that legacy, the new film features actor Arun Govil—who famously played Ram in the 1987 series—in the role of King Dasharatha, Ram's father. As Rise of a Legend continues its global run, it remains to be seen whether this modern, high-tech iteration can achieve a similar lasting impact on audiences.
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