Namit Malhotra‘s Ramayana is not stepping into its mythic world with the face-off most viewers would expect. Instead of opening on Rama and Ravana’s eventual collision, the film begins with Ravana’s own rise, placing Yash‘s fearsome villain in a high-voltage clash with Kubera near Mount Kailash. It is a striking creative decision, one that immediately suggests this retelling wants to build its conflict from ambition, inheritance, and conquest rather than rush toward the war everyone already knows.
That choice also gives the film a more layered dramatic entry. By turning first to Ravana’s ascent, Ramayana frames its villain as a formidable force long before he crosses paths with Ranbir Kapoor‘s Lord Rama. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, the adaptation stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana, and Sai Pallavi as Sita, with the scale of the storytelling rooted in key mythological turning points instead of familiar shorthand.
Why Ravana’s Rise Reframes The Epic Opening
The newly revealed opening battle is centered on Ravana’s confrontation with Kubera near Alakapuri by Mount Kailash. In mythological tradition, Kubera’s connection to Lanka and the Pushpaka Vimana makes this chapter essential to understanding Ravana’s transformation into a ruler driven by supremacy. Starting the film there does more than deliver spectacle. It gives Ravana narrative weight from the outset, positioning him as a character shaped by desire, entitlement, and conquest.
That has a major storytelling advantage. A Kubera battle near Kailash expands the canvas instantly, but it also delays the central Rama-Ravana confrontation until the emotional stakes are earned. Instead of treating Ravana as an end-point villain, the film builds him as an evolving force, which makes his eventual clash with Rama feel more tragic, imposing, and dramatically charged.
Why Ramayana Lands At A Pivotal Moment For Ranbir Kapoor And Yash
The power of this opening also reflects where its two stars stand right now. Ranbir Kapoor enters Ramayana after a strong theatrical phase. He was seen in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar and Animal in 2023, with Animal emerging as one of the biggest box office successes of his career. Stepping into Lord Rama now places him in one of the most closely watched roles of his filmography, at a moment when audience attention around his choices is already intense.
For Yash, the Ravana introduction feels equally crucial. His last release, KGF: Chapter 2 in 2022, was a blockbuster and cemented his pan-India pull. His confirmed next theatrical release is Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, which is scheduled for June 4, 2026. Following that with Ramayana places him in an especially defining stretch, and the film’s scale only sharpens the sense that his role will command enormous narrative presence from the very first movement. Backed by Prime Focus Studios, DNEG, and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled for Diwali 2026, with Ramayana: Part 2 set for Diwali 2027.
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