Reportedly costing a whopping Rs 4,000 crore (approximately $420 million) for the combined budget of the Ramayana duology, the first part – Ramayana: Rise of a Legend – begins with a spectacular opening scene as director Nitesh Tiwari thrusts the audience straight into the war between the Devas and Asuras on the frozen landscape, complete with a flying white elephant. Bolstered by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman’s booming score, which gives the thrilling action set pieces a pulsating rhythm, Tiwari knows how to deliver the kind of visual spectacle worth seeing on the biggest screen possible.
Interestingly, instead of introducing Prince Rama a.k.a. Ram (Ranbir Kapoor) right from the start, Tiwari, who also co-adapted Valmiki’s ancient Ramayana epic poem with Shridhar Raghavan, flips the script by establishing Ravana’s (Yash) elaborate backstory. This includes his transformation from a mere yet fiercely determined mortal embarking on a nomadic journey across the treacherous path through his dedicated act of penance to Lord Brahma, who would later grant him a boon: Making him invincible so that he would not fall sick and could not be harmed or even killed by Gods, monsters, or any otherworldly beings.
His invincibility immediately puts him at an advantage, beginning with his solo raid, as he single-handedly defeats his half-brother Kubera’s entire army and rules the golden kingdom of Lanka in one of the most engrossing set pieces in Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. Now taking over as the new ruler, Ravana promises the people of Lanka that they no longer have to live an oppressive life, ensuring everyone will be well taken care of. No doubt Yash steals the show here, bringing a mix of no-nonsense charisma and intimidating screen presence without coming across as wildly over-the-top.
The movie then contrasts Ravana’s showy dominance with Ram’s more spiritual side and his humble upbringing. He is even well-respected by his king-father, Dasharatha (Arun Govil), his devoted younger brother Lakshmana (Ravi Dubey), and his sages. For a while, everything goes well for Ram, including his royal marriage to Princess Sita (Sai Pallavi), who successfully lifts and strings Lord Shiva’s divine bow after various suitors fail the test.
Then comes the planned coronation, where King Dasharatha decides to make Ram the next successor, which doesn’t sit well with his stepmother, Queen Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta), who insists that her biological son Bharata (Adinath Kothare) should be crowned as the ruler of Ayodhya. She even demands that Ram be exiled for 14 years, with his wife and Lakshmana willing to join him in the forest and live a simple, idyllic life.
Much of the second act is where Tiwari takes a breather to make way for what could have been an intimate, character-driven drama between Ram, Sita, and Lakshmana. I was expecting the movie to spend time building up Ram and Sita’s romance, only to be disappointed by their lackluster chemistry. It doesn’t help either when the pacing begins to lose its momentum, particularly after Ramayana: Rise of a Legend shows so much promise over the course of the assured first act.
Still, that doesn’t mean the second act entirely goes off the rails, as Tiwari still manages to keep his movie moving with notable scenes revolving around their encounter with the gigantic forest monsters, and how Ravana’s sister, Shurpanakha (Rakul Preet Singh), falls for Ram at first sight, which ends with bitter jealousy and anger. Tiwari continues to raise the stakes, leading to Ravana’s quest for vengeance stemming from what happens to his sister.
The movie also highlights Jatayu (voiced by Anupam Kher), a vulture demigod who plays a pivotal part in trying to intercept Ravana’s flying Pushpaka Vimana ship, reminiscent of a giant, embellished lotus-like design with open petals, serving as a flight feature in a rousing aerial sequence. The overall CGI is best described as a mixed bag, despite enlisting the award-winning VFX house DNEG, the same company behind Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed effects work such as Inception and Dune. While some scenes showcase the best use of its visual effects, namely the majestic golden-themed architecture of Lanka and the detailed computer-generated Jatayu, others, like the somehow weightless hyena-like beasts and the glaringly artificial-looking forest, tend to break the immersion.
The otherwise ambitious storytelling could have used an extra boost of emotional depth, while I find Ranbir Kapoor’s acting comes across as overly restrained for his own good and, at times, looks muted, even though he still deserves praise for his physically demanding role during the action-heavy moments. His on-screen dynamic with Sai Pallavi’s Sita, as mentioned earlier, may have been lacking the romantic spark, but individually speaking, the latter delivers a graceful supporting turn, who is far from a damsel in distress, since her character is capable of defending herself with her sword-fighting skills. Finally, Ravi Dubey injects a fiery grit and reckless energy into his volatile role as Lakshmana.
