‘Ramayana' first look: Nitesh Tiwari’s epic film teases a mythic showdown

A first look at Nitesh Tiwari’s much-anticipated Ramayana is out now! The three-minute-long clip introduces the film’s characters and their actors. The video shows breathtaking visuals that set the stage for a grand mythological narrative.

The clip begins with the mythological Hindu trinity—Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the protector; Shiva, the destroyer. It set up the premise of war that threatens the existence of their realms. Dubbed “the war to end all wars”, it teases an intense face-off between Rama and Ravana. “Worshipped for 5000 years by 2.5 billion people, this is the immortal story of Rama vs Ravana.”

The film will feature Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol portraying Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.

Ramayana marks Tiwari’s most ambitious cinematic venture. Though the actor has served box office hits like Aamir Khan’s Dangal and Sushant Singh Rajput’s posthumous release Chhichhore, Tiwari has already broken records with this project. With a budget of Rs 835 crore, the film dethrones Kalki 2898 AD—which has a production value of Rs 600 crore—as the most expensive Indian film ever made.

Namit Malhotra will bankroll the film under his production banner Prime Focus Studios. Additionally, the producer has spared no expense in the music department. The film managed to rope in Indian legend A. R. Rahman and international music maestro Hans Zimmer, both Oscar-winning composers.

The film has also been shot for IMAX screens and if the three-minute video is a testament to that, then a visual treat lies ahead of us.

Ramayana is a two-part film, with the first instalment eyeing a Diwali 2026 release, while Ramayana: Part II aims for a Diwali 2027 release.

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