- Trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana was unveiled on July 30, introducing major characters
- Sheeba Chaddha plays Manthara, and Faisal Malik portrays Kumbhakarna with prosthetics
- Addinath M. Kothare plays Bharat; Arun Govil appears as King Dasharatha in the film
The trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana was unveiled on July 30, prompting a raging conversation online and offline.
Spanning more than four minutes, the trailer introduces major characters from the magnum opus. However, a number of actors have blink-and-miss appearances. Some are familiar faces; others need an introduction.
Here's a closer look at who is playing whom in the film.
Sheeba Chaddha: Veteran actor Sheeba Chaddha, who has worked across mediums, plays Manthara. In the epic, Manthara accompanied Kaikeyi to Ayodhya after her marriage to Dasharatha. It was Manthara who poisoned Kaikeyi's mind, urging her to send Rama into exile so her own son, Bharat, could become king. In a fleeting glimpse in the trailer, Sheeba Chaddha appears alongside Lara Dutta (who plays Kaikeyi).
Faisal Malik: Panchayat actor Faisal Malik plays Kumbhakarna. He appears in full glory in the trailer, though it's hard to recognise him because prosthetics were used to bring the character to life.
Saurabh Sachdeva: He plays Maricha. Cursed to be a rakshasa along with his mother Tataka and brother Subahu, Maricha spent his early life terrorising sages. He was defeated by Rama at the behest of the sage Vishvamitra, attempted to kill Rama again, then fled. Ultimately Maricha took the form of a golden deer and helped Ravana kidnap Sita.
Chetan Hansraj: His role has not been revealed yet, but he appears in the trailer. In Chetan's words, “More than a film. A responsibility. Honoured to play a part in taking our Ramayana from Bharat to the world.”
Addinath M. Kothare: He plays Bharat. The trailer shows him touching Rama's feet and placing his paduka (shoes) on the throne before Rama departs for exile.The actor's face is not clearly visible.
Several other actors play pivotal roles in the epic. The makers will likely keep their identities as surprises until the film releases in theatres.
Trailer
The first scene introduces Ravana, his face hidden beneath a shawl. Blending Nitesh Tiwari's imagination with the ancient epic, this portrayal of Ravana looks grand, majestic, and refreshingly unconventional. When Ravana declares his rule over the tri-lok (heaven, earth, and hell), Rama is born to save humankind from his atrocities.
Interestingly, the teaser that introduced Lord Rama included shadowy glimpses of Sita (Sai Pallavi) and Yash as Ravana. The trailer introduces almost every important character: Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, and Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjihva (demon prince and Shurpanakha's husband). The only major absence is Sunny Deol, who plays Hanuman in the magnum opus.
The trailer promises a visual extravaganza and high spectacle driven by CGI and VFX. This decades-old story will be retold with a new generation of actors stepping into mythic roles. The original Rama of the Indian television, Arun Govil, appears in the film as King Dasharatha, Rama's father.
Budget
Ramayana has been made on a staggering budget of Rs 4,000 crore.
Speaking to Prakhar Gupta, producer Namit Malhotra revealed, "When we set out to make this six or seven years ago, people thought I was a lunatic because no Indian film comes close to this scale. Put simply, the budget will be around $500 million for both parts combined, which is over Rs 4,000 crore."
He added, "We're making the largest film in the world for the greatest epic that deserves to be seen globally. And yet, I believe we're doing it more efficiently than some of the biggest Hollywood films. We're not being irresponsible-we're being ambitious, but grounded."
The film is set to be released in two parts, with the first instalment scheduled to release worldwide in October 2026 ahead of Diwali, while the second part is slated for Diwali 2027.
Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey and Yash play pivotal roles in the film.