Myth, magic and VFX: Here’s to the rise of visual storytelling in Indian cinema from humble heroes to Ramayana’s grand spectacle

There’s a kind of hush that falls over a room when something truly epic plays on screen — and that’s exactly what happened when the Ramayana teaser dropped. Within seconds, you’re pulled into a world of blazing arrows, soaring chariots and divine beings etched in pixels so crisp, it almost feels blasphemous to blink. And let’s not even get started on the orchestral pulse of Hans Zimmer meeting AR Rahman — that alone is a cinematic mic drop.

But what really made jaws drop? It wasn’t just the visuals. It was the feeling — that Indian cinema had finally stepped into the big league of mythological storytelling, armed not just with reverence but with real firepower: world-class CGI and VFX.

And you know what? This moment wasn’t born overnight.

Pixel beginnings

Let’s rewind to 2006 — back when flip phones were a thing and Hrithik Roshan was leaping across rooftops in Krrish, wearing a black trench coat and a lot of hope. It might look cheesy now, but Krrish was a turning point. It was Bollywood’s first serious crack at the superhero genre and it brought CGI into the mainstream like never before. The effects were basic — by today’s standards, almost cute — but they worked. Why? Because they felt ambitious. For once, Indian audiences were watching a home-grown hero defy gravity, not physics logic. People bought into the fantasy, wires and all. And that was enough to light the fuse.

Too soon, too slick

Fast forward to 2011. Shah Rukh Khan comes along with Ra.One — a sci-fi spectacle that didn’t just push boundaries, it practically tackled them. With DNEG (the same Oscar-winning VFX studio behind ‘Dune’ and now ‘Ramayana’) involved, ‘Ra.One’ promised tech-laced dreams: digital villains, shapeshifting suits and gaming universes. It was chaotic. It was ahead of its time. It also kind of confused a lot of people. But here’s the kicker — visually, Ra.One brought Bollywood dangerously close to Hollywood’s playground. It wasn’t perfect, but it was daring. And sometimes, that’s enough to change the game.

Myth meets megabyte

If Krrish lit the spark and Ra.One tossed in some gasoline, Baahubali? That was the explosion. SS Rajamouli’s two-part epic (2015, 2017) didn’t just break records — it redefined what Indian cinema could look like. Towering palaces, waterfall fortresses, armies as far as the eye could see — and all of it rendered in sweeping, seamless CGI. The level of detail was stunning: from war elephants to flying flaming arrows, every frame looked like a digital painting set in motion. But more than spectacle, Baahubali managed to ground its effects in emotion. You weren’t just watching a battle; you were invested in it. That’s the gold standard.

Stylised mayhem

Not every film needs gods and demons to flex its VFX muscles. Take War (2019), for example — Hrithik Roshan again, this time swapping the cape for aviator sunglasses and impossible stunts. While not fantasy-heavy, War used VFX to elevate realism. Think bike chases on icy mountains, slow mo gunfights and explosions that looked too clean to be practical — because they weren’t. CGI made those sequences feel sharp, smooth and expensive. It marked another shift: VFX wasn’t just for epic stories anymore. It was becoming a basic ingredient in big-budget Bollywood.

Fireballs & faith

Then came Brahmastra (2022) — a film that had everyone talking, even before it hit theatres. Ayan Mukerji dared to blend Hindu mythology with urban fantasy and the result was — visually, at least — spectacular. With help from international studios (yep, DNEG again), the film pulled off elemental effects that felt new and culturally resonant. Agni Astra? Vanarastra? Suddenly, Indian audiences had their own cinematic universe with astras and avatars. It wasn’t just the VFX — it was the way it imagined myth in the now. It made spirituality look… cool. Not an easy feat.

Madness with meaning

By late 2022, RRR was already a beast. But what pushed it into global cult territory was its sheer audacity. Where else would you see a man sprint through fire with a tiger, jump off a bridge with another man on his shoulders and still make it look believable? CGI made all that happen — not subtly, but unapologetically. And you know what? It worked. Western audiences lapped it up. Critics called it “chaotic brilliance." VFX here wasn’t just a tool — it was a character in the story.

Sacred to cinematic?

Which brings us back to Ramayana. The teaser is out and let’s just say — this isn’t your grandmother’s mythological drama. Everything about the project screams scale. The involvement of DNEG again isn’t surprising — they’ve become a kind of unofficial partner in India’s visual evolution. But Hans Zimmer on the score? That’s international validation. AR Rahman beside him? That’s legacy. From what we’ve seen so far, this Ramayana is not just aiming for visual excellence. It’s aiming for emotional immersion — where light particles dance in divine energy and battlefields won’t just look vast, they are bound to feel sacred.

What’s next?

Well, here’s the thing — we’re not going backward. Bollywood’s relationship with VFX has matured. No longer a gimmick or novelty, it’s now a serious storytelling tool. What began with makeshift sparks in Krrish has evolved into something powerful, poetic and global in scope.

What’s exciting is the range: from action thrillers to ancient epics to experimental sci-fi. The door’s wide open — and with studios such as DNEG, Red Chillies VFX and Phantom FX on speed dial, the future looks… pixel-perfect.

So whether you’re into fantasy, mythology or just like watching tigers leap in slow motion — stick around. Because Bollywood’s VFX story? It’s only just getting started.

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