‘Ramayana’ Movie Review: Visual Grandeur Overshadows Emotional Depth in Nitesh Tiwari’s Epic
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Producer: Namit Malhotra
Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
Bringing the greatest Indian epic to the silver screen is a monumental challenge that demands both visual spectacle and profound emotional resonance. Director Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious adaptation of ‘Ramayana’ arrives with sky-high expectations, backed by state-of-the-art VFX and a powerhouse ensemble cast. While the film delivers breathtaking cinematic moments and standout performances, its heavy reliance on visual grandeur occasionally leaves the deeper spiritual and emotional beats feeling rushed.
The Performances: Anchoring the Epic
The film’s strongest asset lies in its casting choices, with the principal actors bringing immense gravity to their legendary roles:
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Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama: Ranbir steps into the righteous shoes of Rama with remarkable serenity and grace. His transformation becomes particularly palpable from the Vanavasam (exile) onward, where his quiet dignity and internal restraint shine through, even when the surrounding CGI threatens to overwhelm the frame.
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Yash as Ravana: Bringing a terrifyingly magnetic, towering presence to the antagonist’s role, Yash infuses Ravana with a dark, menacing aura. His portrayal ensures that the conflict feels genuinely high-stakes.
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Sai Pallavi as Sita: Embodying ethereal grace and quiet resilience, Sai Pallavi brings an authentic emotional purity to Goddess Sita, anchoring the film’s moral core.
Visual Scale Meets Narrative Pacing
From a technical standpoint, the scale of Ramayana is undeniably spectacular. The cinematography and set designs capture the ancient worlds with sweeping, immersive grandeur, and the pre-climax and climax sequences deliver the thunderous, big-screen spectacle that modern audiences crave.
However, the narrative stumbles when trying to balance its massive world-building with intimate character arcs. At times, the film rushes through critical transitions in the first half in favor of CGI exposition, diluting the emotional weight that makes the epic so enduring. Fortunately, the gripping momentum picks up significantly in the latter half, leading to a soaring, visually arresting climax that rescues the pacing.
Final Verdict
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is an earnest, visually stunning cinematic endeavor that succeeds on the strength of its lead performances and monumental scale. While it may not entirely match the emotional depth of traditional retellings, its technical brilliance and grand execution make it a worthwhile theatrical experience.
