New Delhi: "For over 5000 years, whenever the world descends into chaos, he is always our answer."
Such is the stature, the history and the enigma that is Maryada Purushottam "Rama".
Nitesh Tiwari's brave attempt to bring a part of our past on to the celluloid-Ramayana, led by Ranbir Kapoor-has stirred excitement amid the audience ever since its announcement last July. But with curiosity comes rising expectations.
As the teaser dropped today, some fastidious detailing was spotted, which is indeed commendable. Whilst the VFX remains a debatable topic, for now, here's a roundup of the characters who were in and out of focus in the 2-minute 38-second teaser, and elements that were a quick nostalgic recap of the story of the legendary Lord Rama that we grew up listening to.
The teaser puts the spotlight heavily on whom the story centres: Lord Rama. Ranbir Kapoor in the godly avatar instils goosebumps, emoting through his eyes as he plunges to end evil-there is no dialogue to put actions to words, but silence speaks volumes.
He is portrayed as the calm and righteous Lord Rama, every scene exuding grace. What can be defined as "celestial glory"-a scene of Lord Rama on a boat as he takes in the quietude of the forest that surrounds him-it's divine, it's powerful. This is the only time where the one word - 'Rama' richochets, in a scene where he is sitting on a boat and he turns when his name is called.
The trailer showcases a crisp trajectory of the prince of Ayodhya, from his palatial life to his forest exile, the wars that invade, enemies who cross him, companions who shield him, and he who rises above all.
There can be no Rama without his brother Laxman, devoted wife Sita, and the vile rakshasa Ravana.
They remain out of focus throughout the teaser, leaving a lingering presence luminous in our wake.
Ravie Dubey as Laxman and Sai Pallavi as Sita appear in a few scenes in the teaser, loyal to Lord Rama. Together they leave for their arduous journey to the forest, and together they stay.
The patriarch-King Dasharatha-is played by Arun Govil, who essayed the character of Lord Rama in the 1987 series. In the few faraway glimpses that he comes in the teaser, he is shown as the dignified and emotionally restrained figure of Ayodhya.
There are a few tender moments between Lord Rama and his father as he leaves his kingdom-a moment that stays with you. Affectionate but overwhelming, the presence of Dasharatha signifies the central conflict of the story, where he is torn apart, choosing between his love for his eldest son and upholding a promise made to Queen Kaikeyi.
One of the biggest characters is Hanuman, played by Sunny Deol, who does not appear in the first glimpse. Whilst a looming shadow of him might have had a blink-and-miss moment in the teaser, the makers have not made a full reveal, still keeping it under wraps.
Yash as the menacing Ravana, the antagonist, completes the story of Rama. Whilst the protagonist's story might be incomplete without Sita, Ravana plays an equally crucial role.
A silhouette of his formidable appearance is seen towards the end of the teaser, walking steadfastly towards the mythical chariot Pushpaka Vimana. As the epic has described, Ravana used the flower-shaped aerial vehicle to kidnap Sita and bring her to Lanka. Eventually, Rama used it to return to Ayodhya and then returned it to Kubera, who originally owned it.
Another key element present in the teaser is Maricha-a rakshasa whom Ravana compelled to turn into a dazzling golden deer in order to lure Lord Rama out of his Dandaka forest hermitage. It was an illusion cast by Ravana to leave Sita unprotected as he transported her to Lanka.
Enraptured by its beauty, Sita tells Rama to catch it, and that is the quick shot we see in the teaser where Rama is seen aiming his bow at the golden deer.
There is a humongous monster figure also seen in the teaser. Whilst there's a lot of murmur about it being Ravana's younger brother Kumbhakarna-it cannot be confirmed. He was a case of misplaced loyalty and even stronger than Ravana. Whilst there have been a lot of reports of Faisal Malik of Panchayat fame shooting an introductory scene with Yash, nothing can be said for sure as far as his appearance in the teaser is concerned, though the description of the ogre-like figure matches that of Kumbhakarna.
There are other key characters of the plot such as Mandodari, Kaikeyi, and Surpanakha-none of whom are seen in the teaser. Though their characters dive deeper into the narrative of the Ramayana, there have been swirling reports of Rakul Preet Singh being cast as Surpanakha and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi. No official confirmation whatsoever.
Whilst Sunny Deol as Hanuman is confirmed, and hence the excitement to see his part soars, the announcements of supporting character arcs add much gravitas to the storyline but remain a mystery as far as the recent teaser is concerned.
Ramayana will release in two parts-the first part scheduled for a Diwali 2026 release, whilst the second part follows in 2027.
As cinagoers wait for the spectacle to unfold on the big screen in a few months' time, the chant continues to echo: Jai Shri Ram.
Source: NDTV