The film 'Ramayana: Rise of the Legend,' featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, generated significant buzz. Its grand premiere took place in Los Angeles for invited guests and content creators, after which initial opinions on the picture began to emerge.
Reviews were divided: one foreign critic called the film extremely grandiose and magnificent, while another viral review raised serious questions regarding the plot, visual effects, and acting. This situation led to active discussion about the film.
One international reviewer highly praised the film as an epic spectacle, noting that the portrayal of Lord Rama in it differs from the usual depiction. While saying the name Rama, he jokingly mentioned that he hoped to pronounce it correctly. In this critic's opinion, the scale of the picture is vast, and its climax is capable of surprising viewers.
However, there is also a contrasting viewpoint: in one viral review, the film was given a rating of only 1.5 out of 5. This review noted that despite the large scale, the film lacks emotional depth. The critic also questioned the work on visual effects, the pacing of the narrative, and the actors' performances, although he emphasized that this is just one person's opinion and not a final verdict on the film.
The Climax Made the Critic Exclaim
The climax of 'Ramayana' caused the most resonance among positive reviews. A foreign critic recounted that after the film ended, the screen went dark, and he could not contain his reaction, loudly exclaiming 'No.' He also speculated that the ending is so captivating that viewers will wait for a sequel.
If we take this critic's words as truth, the climax could indeed be shocking for the audience, although he did not reveal any major plot twists. Now it remains to be seen how much the audience will like such an ending.
What Did the Critic Say About the Hindi Version?
Another interesting point is that this critic preferred to watch the original Hindi version of the film. According to him, the Hindi version was about 30 minutes longer than the English dubbed version. He wanted to see the film in its pristine form, so he chose the Hindi version.
This is significant because 'Ramayana' is a story closely tied to Indian culture and faith. How the dialogues, emotions, and cultural references are presented in Hindi can hold special meaning for viewers.
The Film Is Over Three Hours Long, Raising Questions About VFX
The negative review also criticized the film's length. The critic complained that the picture, lasting about 3 hours and 20 minutes, seemed too drawn out in some scenes. He accused that many moments slow down the development of the plot instead of advancing it. Furthermore, he expressed disappointment with the use of CGI in scenes depicting forests, palaces, and battles.
He also noted that the film does not pay enough attention to the emotional and moral aspects of the Ramayana story. Nevertheless, these remarks reflect only this critic's point of view, not the general opinion of all viewers.
'Ramayana: Rise of the Legend,' directed by Nitish Tiwari and starring Namit Malhotra, the first episode will be released in theaters on November 5, 2026, for the celebration of Diwali. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita's mother, and Yash plays Ravana. The second part is planned for release in Diwali 2027.
At present, opinions on the film are divided: some have praised its grand scale and climax, while others have questioned the plot and visual effects. It remains for the audience to decide how impressive the experience of watching this millennia-old epic on the big screen will be.