“Ramayana Part 1” has generated tremendous hype. Billed as India’s most expensive and ambitious film ever, it has attracted worldwide attention. The makers have taken up the challenging task of bringing one of India’s most revered epics to the big screen on an unprecedented scale.
Let’s find out whether they have done justice to this sacred tale.
Story
Ravana (Yash) becomes the king of Lanka after receiving a boon from Brahma. The boon makes him invincible to gods and celestial beings.
Maha Vishnu takes birth as Rama (Ranbir Kapoor) with a specific purpose. Rama marries Sita (Sai Pallavi) after winning her hand in the Swayamvaram.
Due to Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta), Rama is forced to leave Ayodhya and go into exile. Bharat becomes the king. During their Vanavas, Ravana’s sister Soorpanakha sees Rama and becomes enchanted by him.
She expresses her desire to marry him as his second wife, but Rama declines. When Soorpanakha approaches Rama in the guise of Sita, an enraged Lakshmana cuts off her nose. This eventually leads to Ravana kidnapping Sita.
The first part ends with Rama vowing to rescue Sita from Lanka.
Performances:
Ranbir Kapoor portrays Lord Rama with grace and dignity. He suits the role quite well and maintains the piousness and composure required for the character. His restrained demeanour brings considerable dignity to the portrayal.
Sai Pallavi initially doesn’t quite look like the beautiful princess described in the epic, but her performance and strength come through as the story progresses towards Vanavas.
However, the film largely belongs to Ravana. It begins with his story and ends with his kidnapping of Sita. Yash doesn’t merely appear as Ravana; he gets to portray the character in several looks and getups as the story explores different phases of his life. He delivers a terrific performance. Nearly an hour of the film is devoted exclusively to Ravana and his story.
Ravi Dubey is excellent as Lakshmana, while Rakul Preet Singh fits the role of Soorpanakha well. Shobana, as Ravana’s mother, is also good.
Technical Aspects
The film benefits immensely from its terrific visual effects. Hollywood-based company DNEG has handled the VFX, and the results are impressive. The episodes involving Ravana and the forest sequences featuring Lord Rama are particularly spectacular. The production design and visual effects give the film an exceptionally grand appearance. Even the 3D experience works well. The visual effects are certainly on par with Hollywood standards.
However, the music is not particularly effective. AR Rahman hasn’t delivered his best work here. The songs don’t stand out. Hans Zimmer’s background score is effective. The film also suffers from occasional pacing issues.
Highlights
Visual effects
Yash’s performance as Ravana
Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama
Grand production design
Drawbacks
Slow pacing in parts
Inadequate musical experience
Analysis
“Ramayana Part 1” largely sticks to the original Valmiki Ramayana while also drawing from other versions of the epic. The main story is familiar to almost everyone in India. What matters is how a filmmaker presents it. Director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra have taken up the challenge of retelling this centuries-old epic using cutting-edge visual effects and presenting it in a way that appeals to the new generation.
Since the story has been divided into two parts, the first instalment begins with Ravana’s backstory, moves on to the birth of Rama and explains why Vishnu takes the Rama Avatar. It eventually concludes with Ravana kidnapping Sita.
One of the cleverest decisions Nitesh Tiwari makes is beginning the film with Ravana’s story. He introduces him as Dashanana, a character initially more inclined towards music than wars and battles. His mother urges him to rise to the occasion and become the hero of the Asura clan. His penance, the boons he receives from Brahma and his eventual rise to become the king of Lanka are narrated in a riveting manner. Nearly 45 minutes of the film are devoted to this episode before Rama’s birth is introduced.
From Rama’s birth to his Vanavas, the first half largely follows the familiar narrative. However, certain sequences stand out. The confrontation between Rama and Parasurama is one of the major highlights. Interestingly, Ranbir Kapoor also appears as Parasurama.
The second half begins with another Ravana episode, highlighting his arrogance and pride through a confrontation involving Vidyujjihva, played by Vivek Oberoi. This sequence is also mounted on a grand scale.
Another major highlight of the second half is the battle between Jatayu and Ravana. Overall, the second half is more engaging and visually spectacular, giving greater prominence to Yash’s character.
The film largely remains faithful to the original Ramayana, although certain subplots receive more screen time. Ultimately, the appeal lies less in the story itself, which is already familiar, and more in the way it has been filmed and mounted. Several visuals are genuinely awe-inspiring, and the entire film unfolds on a spectacular scale.
Nitesh Tiwari brings out the ‘Maryada Purushottama’ aspect of Rama through Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal while also presenting him as a formidable warrior whenever the narrative demands it.
There are several stunning standalone sequences, including the confrontation between Yash and Vivek Oberoi and the battle between Ravana and Jatayu.
The Telugu dubbing and dialogues are also first-rate. The dubbing quality deserves appreciation, as it helps the film retain its impact for Telugu audiences. Lip sync is achieved with AI.
However, the music could have been more devotional and emotionally stirring. The pacing is another area that needed more attention. Certain portions could have been edited more tightly to make the narrative more engaging.
Despite these minor shortcomings, “Ramayana Part 1” delivers a massive theatrical experience.
Overall, “Ramayana Part 1” is visually spectacular and offers several stunning episodes that have rarely been presented on this scale in previous cinematic versions of the epic. It has enough moments to provide an immersive theatrical experience. Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra have together delivered the massive visual scale that a revered epic like Ramayana demands. Ranbir Kapoor’s dignified portrayal of Rama and Yash’s terrific performance as Ravana add considerable value to the film.