I love live-action epic fantasy, especially the kind that takes place in a world that is filled with magic, mythology, and extraordinary creatures. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many movies lately that fall into that category.
So, when I heard about Ramayana: Rise of a Legend and saw the trailer, I was curious about the movie because it reminded me of a much more magical version of The Lord of the Rings. Just from the trailer, you could see that it has absolutely amazing visual effects behind the fantastical elements of the film. Plus, I absolutely love mythology. It’s one of my favorite genres.
Since I know almost nothing about Indian mythology or Hindu cosmology, Ramayana sounded like a fun film to experience one of India’s most famous myths. So, I watched the uncut version of the full-length, three-hour film in its original Hindi with English subtitles because I wanted as authentic of an experience of this movie as possible. So, how did it do as an epic fantasy story, a cinematic experience, and as an international film that exposed me to something I have never experienced before?
Ramayana was directed by Nitesh Tiwari and is a film adapted from an ancient Sanskrit epic poem that is traditionally attributed to Valmiki, a Hindu sage. The movie focuses on this myth about a prince named Ram whose destiny is connected to a being named Ravana who wants to conquer the three realms of existence: Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld. I’m not an expert in Hindi or Indian mythology and locations. So, I am going to do my best to get everything correct from my perspective, but please correct me in the comments below as needed. Thank you!
You can read my review below or watch it here on YouTube:
The Epic Tale
What we get in this film, which is the first of a planned two-part adaptation, is an introduction to the worlds within the myth, an introduction to Ravana and Ram, and the experiences that bring these two characters into a conflict that tests their fates and the future of who rules the cosmos.
It starts out with this war between the Devas, who are divine beings associated with Heaven, and the Asuras, who are powerful supernatural beings who are locked in an age-old conflict with the Devas. In the current battle, the Asuras are defeated and driven into the Underworld and forced to live in desperate conditions. Ravana undertakes severe penance to seek a boon from the god Brahma.
After Brahma refuses his request for immortality, Ravana asks to choose how he will die, and gains protection from being killed by nearly every kind of divine and supernatural being he can name. The only beings he doesn’t name are humans because he considers them too weak to threaten him. He then goes about destroying the Devas and setting out to conquer Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld.
The Villain’s Setup & The Birth of a Hero
He’s set up as a great villain because at first he’s a sympathetic figure. His people are being destroyed, and he wants to save them. It’s a noble cause, but after gaining so much power, he takes his cause for vengeance and power too far, becoming a cruel leader who loves leaving terror and torment in his wake. He even does this incredible dance that was just fantastic to watch on screen as part of his penance and search for Brahma.
This upsets the balance of power, and the god Vishnu chooses to be born as Ram, one of four infant sons born to the human King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Ram is handsome, kind, and a powerful fighter who is loved by everyone, but after marrying his wife Sita, he is forced into exile for 14 years. This sets up a series of adventures and conflicts that ultimately force Ravana to finally pay attention to Ram, who I think he’s actively trying to avoid. The film puts us deeply into each character’s world, letting us really get to know each of them on their own terms before bringing their stories into conflict.
Spending Extra Time in the World
That’s essentially the setup for the story, and it’s a good one. However, with a run-time of over three hours, I think some of the scenes do linger a little longer than absolutely necessary as the film tries to immerse us in its world. Their story lagged just a little around the time that Ram, Sita, and his brother Lakshman went into exile. Still, it was so much fun to see this world come to life on screen, especially for an epic fantasy fan like me, that the lag was balanced by the beauty of the set design, the fabrics, and the artistic details on everything from the walls of the buildings to the armor that Ravana wore or even characters’ hair styles.
The Effects!
That doesn’t even get into the astonishing detail and creativity of the visual effects that were absolutely dynamite! DNEG, the company that did the effects, managed to seamlessly blend together the physical and digital worlds along with the practical effects that give the setting its weight. It’s easily on par with the quality and depth of what we get in The Lord of the Rings, but with the vibrant colors and light from Indian mythology. It’s like watching artwork move across the screen at certain times.
The Music and Choreography
We also get some fantastic fight choreography. Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, as Ram and Ravana, along with Sai Pallavi, as Sita, know how to fight or were trained exceptionally well for their scenes. Their movements are fast and sharp. Some of the battles are brutal, but there is an element of dance to the movements, and the flourish of colors makes even the battle scenes fairly beautiful to watch.
That brings me to the music and the score, which were created by legendary composers Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman. I never knew that I needed to hear a soundtrack designed by these two men, until I heard it, but while I was sitting in the theater I literally wrote in my notebook, “I love this music!” It was such a good combination with the onscreen storytelling that it really helped to connect the audience with the world we were experiencing.
The Creatures of the Cosmos
In addition to the more human-looking characters, there is a wide assortment of other creatures in the film, from these feline battle cats to giant-sized demons and this enormous bird-like being called Jatayu. There is this one scene near the end of the film where Ram and Lakshman spend some extra time with him, and we get this extraordinary view of Jatayu because the camera lingers on him, showing us the details of his feathers, the texture of his beak, how the light hits the little bits of fur on his head, and the delicate reflections in his eyes.
This lingering on Jatayu is a directorial decision that is consistent throughout the film during key moments of emotional tension or delight as well as when a new character is introduced or a setting is being visually captured. It’s these extra moments that Nitesh Tiwari gives us to really “look” at the screen that add to the extra runtime to the film, but that’s exactly why I chose this movie. I wanted to see this myth and the world that gave birth to it.
Opportunities and Obstacles of International Films
That’s also why I chose to watch this film in the original Hindi-language version with English subtitles. I couldn’t understand what the actors were saying, but I wanted to hear their voices along with watching their physical performances. That choice made it difficult to take notes at times because I was also trying to capture character names, place names, and the dialogue. I think I literally misspelled everything, which meant a lot of double-checking while doing this review because the word constructions, sounds, and spellings are so different from English.
However, as I look back at my notes, I was surprised by how rich and complex the storytelling was, especially with the layering of history, character relationships, and the organization of the supernatural and world and its deities. It was a bit of an informational firehose experience for someone like me who was walking in fairly cold to the story that I was seeing, but the most amazing thing was seeing reflections of mythology from other cultures like the devious stranger at the door, the demons and trolls in the woods, a god taking human shape, and so many other little things. It really goes to show just how many types of stories are shared across cultures and time periods.
The Performances and Characters
I also thought the performances were well done, both in the physicality of the fights and in those moments when the camera lingers on a person or scene for an extra beat or two to emphasize a particular emotion or situation. The only thing I wanted more of was softness and vulnerability between Sita and Ram. At times, their relationship felt just a little too formal despite the clear devotion that they have to each other.
Toward the end of the film, however, Ram’s emotions finally break through when he talks about his duty and his fate. That’s a real turning point for his character, and it was the first real moment when I felt true concern for him because I didn’t see a way out of the situation for him and Lakshman.
Recommendation: Is it Ticket-Worthy?
So, is Ramayana: Rise of a Legend ticket-worthy? If you enjoy traditional epic fantasy, mythology, and beautiful visual storytelling that isn’t necessarily tied to the Western fantasy genre, I think you’ll likely enjoy the film… especially if you are comfortable with subtitles or watching a dubbed version of the movie.
For me, this film brought together my love of epic fantasy, my interest in international film, and my curiosity about other cultures and their mythology. I honestly cannot tell you how faithful this adaptation is to the original Sanskrit poem, but the adapted story worked… even if its length was about 30 minutes longer than my usual comfort level with films. If length is an issue for you or you just can’t keep up with the on-screen subtitles, this movie might be tough on you. Still, it was such an imaginative experience that it worked for me, and it was definitely ticket-worthy.
So, have you seen Ramayana? What did you think? If this is your first time with this legend, I am so curious what you thought of it! Also, I would love to hear from people who are familiar with the original epic because I’d love to know how faithful this adaptation is to the original. Please let me know what you think!
IMAGE CREDITS: Film stills sourced from IMDb. Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used in this video for film criticism and commentary.
