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'Ramayana' trailer: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi unveil India's biggest mythological epic
From heartfelt speeches to jaw-dropping visuals, the Delhi event showcased the scale, ambition and emotion behind the cinematic spectacle
- PUBLISHED: Mon 20 Jul 2026, 12:40 PM
Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi was transformed into Ayodhya last evening. Marigolds and roses, genda and gulab lined the stage. The air smelled of incense and anticipation. And when the lights dimmed, an entire dynasty walked in.
The full star cast of Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious Ramayana was in Delhi for the trailer launch of what is being billed as India’s biggest mythological epic to date. Ranbir Kapoor as Ram. Sai Pallavi as Sita. Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Yash as Raavan. Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. And Arun Govil, the original Ram from Ramanand Sagar’s iconic TV series, playing Dashrath.
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A story told a hundred times, and yet… The trailer opened to a packed hall of media, industry veterans, dignitaries from culture and art and fans. Drums, conch shells, A.R Rahman and Hans Zimmer’s score filled Bharat Mandapam.
Kumar Vishwas, who has contributed in a large way to the film’s making, anchored and moderated the conversation. “Whenever there are dark and challenging times, Lord Ram will always come in some form to end that darkness,” said Vishwas.
The story of Ramayana is centuries old. It has been told in TV serials, films, plays, and Ramleelas across India. Yet every time it comes to screen, the audience leans in. Director Nitesh Tiwari, who has given us Dangal and Chhichhore, addressed this directly.
“Ramayan shows relationships and the emotions in them is what makes a Ramayana. We have tried our best to portray that in front of the world. As an Indian, we want every Indian to feel proud of this movie,” said Tiwari.
As a director, Tiwari claims he has kept facts as they are. “What will set it apart will be the fights, the looks and characterisation, the visual effects will set it apart,” he adds.
That scale is immediately apparent. The trailer promises vast battlefields, golden palaces, forests that look endless, and a Lanka that feels mythical and menacing.
Ranbir: The weight of Maryada Purushottam
For Ranbir Kapoor, playing Ram is both an honour and a burden. Dressed in black kurta and pants teamed with black velvet jacket, he spoke softly and with affection. “The way Arun Govil ji has played the role of Shri Ram with utmost responsibility, beauty and dignity, it has inspired me and every person who watched the original Ramayana. We all have grown up with those values and learnings. If I can embody even 1 per cent of what you’ve done, I’ll consider myself lucky,” said Ranbir.
Standing beside him, Sai Pallavi as Sita Ma brought a quiet strength. “It’s not easy for actors to get roles like these. To play a Goddess is not easy. It’s teamwork as it becomes history for rest of the world. I was blessed to play this role. I meditated that Sita Ma you act through me and whatever I play will come to me because of you,” said Sai Pallavi at the event.
The lineup is what will get viewers excited. During the event, the cast cheered loudest for Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Yash as Raavan. From the trailer, Yash looked sharp in the look of Raavan. “All credit goes to Namit Malhotra (producer) gave an opportunity to play Raavan and it also gave me the opportunity to learn Hindi. I have been working on Ramayana for long and this has been India’s dream. It has one vision and conviction which is to put Lord Ram’s story on a global platform,” he said on stage.
TV actor Ravi Dubey will play Lakshman and at the event he was in the character as he addressed Ranbir and Sai Pallavi as “Bhaiya and Sita Ma.” Ravi got emotional as he thanked the director and producer for giving him a lifetime opportunity to play Lakshman.
And in a full-circle moment, Arun Govil, who defined Ram for a generation of Indians in the 80s, took the stage as Dashrath. The hall gave him a standing ovation. “I wanted to play Lord Ram not because it was a character but because I had the inner bhav to play it. I believe God chose me to play this role back then. Today I pass the bow to Ranbir. May this Ramayan touch as many hearts,” said Govil.
The real star: VFX and music
Malhotra, through his company DNEG, is aiming to lead the game with the VFX. DNEG has worked on Dune, Oppenheimer and Tenet. For Ramayana, the brief was clear. “We have won 7 Oscars in last 11 years for best visual effects. No one has set this precedent. In India, talent pool and passion is incomparable though we never got credit. So I thought of telling a story on global platform that India can feel proud of,” shares Namit.
He shared that the team spent last 10 years preparing ground for this mega project. “We are building a world that can stand next to any global epic, but it must still feel Indian. It must still feel like home,” he says.
The other headline is the music. Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman have come together to put together the album for Ramayana. As Kumar Vishwas puts it, “Ramayana is story that has always been sung and told in a musical manner so music plays a pivotal role in the movie.”
A film for the diaspora too
Malhotra confirmed the film is made for a global audience. “The VFX, the sound, the language. It is meant to travel and reach a global audience.” The producer added that DNEG’s global teams worked on the film so that it meets international standards without losing its cultural core.
The trailer doesn’t give away the plot. You know the plot. What it gives is the larger than life scale, the tone and the intent to make it a grand cinematic experience.
As the event ended and the cast did a final namaste to the crowd, Tiwari had the last word: “We are not telling you a new story. We are trying to tell you the oldest story, in a new way.“
With a stellar starcast, global VFX firepower, and two music legends backing it, Ramayan Part 1 is gearing up for a mega Diwali release. Whether it lives up to the towering expectations of mythology lovers — and of generations who grew up on this story — is something only the big screen will tell.