There are epics, and then there are masterpieces that ignite the audience's excitement for a big-screen spectacle.
Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, divided into two parts and mounted on a budget of Rs 4,000 crore, is a mega spectacle of that kind. The makers have been globetrotting across countries to promote the epic, which promises to be a piece of India's greatest historical story for a global audience.
The chatter has been abundant - from questionable casting remarks to the mega sets and, most definitely, the crores spent on bringing this story to life.
After 25 film adaptations, 14+ TV adaptations and many more global and regional iterations, Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, led by Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as the rakshasa Ravana, has got everyone buzzing with anticipation.
But today, we talk about how, just like the ultimate face-off between Ram and Ravana in Ramayana, this film also marks a massive face-off between two superstars - Ranbir Kapoor and Yash.
In many ways, this film is a gamble for both actors, both on and off screen, and there is a lot at stake. It might just become the biggest star-versus-star conflict Indian cinema has seen in years, and fans are as intrigued by Ravana as they are by Ram.
Ranbir Kapoor's Biggest Challenge Yet, And Yash's Big Swing After The KGF Craze
To begin with, Ranbir Kapoor has the persona of a true-blue Hindi cinema leading man with prestige, while Yash comes with the added baggage of being a pan-India phenomenon. That Ramayana is the most expensive Indian film franchise ever made, with a combined budget of Rs 4,000 crore for both parts, is one thing; but this film is also a steady detour from what Ranbir Kapoor and Yash have done so far.
For Ranbir Kapoor, Ramayana is the apex of his career so far. Having played flawed and occasionally hated characters in Animal and Sanju, in Ramayana he shoulders the pressure of portraying one of India's most revered cultural figures. There are deep sentiments attached here that get hurt now and then, and it all began the moment it was known that Ranbir Kapoor would be essaying Lord Ram.
While Ranbir Kapoor's fans often praise him for his calm and composed nature, it is the very spirit of Lord Rama that he has to capture on screen.
The backlash has been incessant - from viewers ridiculing the CGI in the Ramayana trailer and teaser to Namit Malhotra defending it. To add to this, with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore per part, there is also the financial stress of it all.
Ram is simply not your conventional commercial hero, and maybe that is where Ranbir Kapoor's real challenge lies. With viewers already holding a perception of Lord Ram from religious texts and the adaptations they have seen, Ranbir Kapoor is in for far more judgement than has already been passed.
Yash is synonymous with mass cinema. After unleashing an unbridled craze with his Rocky Bhai avatar in the KGF franchise, his loyal fans have been awaiting a film large enough to encapsulate his larger-than-life persona.
Interestingly, in all the Ramayana glimpses shared so far, Yash has been heaped with praise, as though he isn't just playing Ravana - he has become the demon in flesh and blood. Ravana is the ultimate antagonist, and a shift from the hero image.
Yash's towering presence as Ravana in Ramayana offers a befitting face-off with Ram's serene presence. Both command the screen - one in a positive light, the other in a layered shade.
Yash's Ravana is not merely evil here; he is smart and intelligent, and while his charisma operates on a different tangent, it still makes for a striking match for Ram.
What Excites The Audiences
One might say this is a classic case of opposites attracting - pun intended.
When it comes to mythological films, there is usually one major attraction. But the makers of Ramayana, through their casting choices, have made this a gamble for two.
Fans might troll Ranbir Kapoor, but their enthusiasm is at an all-time high to see how he portrays Ram. On the other hand, how magnetic will Yash be in telling his story - not as a textbook-defined villain, but as a tragic titan?
Ram and Ravana's protagonist-and-antagonist dynamic was not merely a war; it was the triumph of good over evil. Ravana was not all bad - it is the dissection of his character that reveals the many layers that made him the roaring menace he was.
Ram embodied discipline; Ravana instilled fear.
And what makes the duo of Ranbir Kapoor and Yash so refreshingly interesting is how opposite they are off camera - in terms of their work so far, their target audiences and their immense star power.
The Battle Of Star Power
Firstly, this is a clash of cinematic archetypes for Ranbir Kapoor and Yash.
Ranbir Kapoor has shown us his emotional vulnerability in films like Barfi! and Rockstar, and then channelled a raw, alpha-male energy in Animal. As he transforms into Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram, he reveals yet another side - one replete with poise, grace and internal steel.
Yash sheds the swagger that the historic pan-India success of KGF entailed. His physicality shifts gears to the untamed power of Ravana, with a commanding screen presence as a feared cultural enigma.
This is also a case of a North-South power confluence. Bringing one of Bollywood's top-tier modern stars into combat with the face of South Indian mass cinema is a feat in itself. It is also a coming together of gigantic audiences. The hype elevates itself as the murmurs intensify in Hindi-speaking belts and South Indian markets.
And to make the wait linger, Yash has already spoken about how the much-awaited face-off between Ram and Ravana does not really arrive in Part I, which releases this Diwali.
While Part 1 focuses on their individual rises, the second part is where the cataclysmic physical conclusion of the two 'stars' is brought into the spotlight.
While most films crown the hero and give him the limelight, Ramayana is as much about the villain as it is about the hero. It stages one of the most intriguing confrontations - the one that meets the eye on screen, and the one that exists in posterity.
And we circle back to where we started: how will this gamble pay off - how will Ranbir Kapoor play Ram, and how will Yash redefine the perception of Ravana?
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