Ramayana Trailer: Ranbir Kapoor Takes on Yash in the Righteous Fight; Fans Ask ‘Where Is Hanuman?’

Ramayana trailer: After months of anticipation, the much-awaited trailer of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has finally arrived, offering the first major glimpse into the epic battle between Ranbir Kapoor’s Lord Rama and Yash’s demon king Ravana.

The trailer was launched at 4:15 am in India during Brahma Muhurat and is set to be attached to Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theatres. The four-minute footage introduces the grand visual world of the two-part mythological saga, from Rama’s Ayodhya and Sita’s world to Ravana’s Lanka.

Ramayana Trailer: Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama vs Yash’s Ravana

Yash enters the trailer as a powerful king without a kingdom who eventually conquers the three worlds. Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama is introduced as a warrior committed to protecting mankind, while Sai Pallavi appears as Sita.

The trailer showcases several crucial moments from the epic, including Rama and Sita’s marriage, Kaikeyi’s demand that sends Rama, Sita and Lakshmana into 14 years of exile, and the beginning of the conflict with Ravana.

Ravie Dubey plays Lakshmana, while Rakul Preet Singh portrays Surpanakha. The trailer also shows Lakshmana attacking Surpanakha, after which Ravana’s anger sets the stage for the larger conflict. Sita’s abduction and glimpses of the ensuing war are also featured.

Fans Ask: Where Is Hanuman?

One of the biggest talking points after the trailer was the absence of Sunny Deol’s Hanuman. Although Sunny Deol is part of the film’s star-studded cast as Hanuman, the character does not appear in the trailer.

Several fans online immediately questioned, “Where is Hanuman?”, making his absence one of the most discussed aspects of the trailer.

Yash Steals the Show as Ravana

While Ranbir Kapoor brings a restrained conviction to the role of Rama, the trailer gives Yash a commanding presence as Ravana. His character dominates several sequences with rage, intensity and a larger-than-life screen presence.

The visual treatment of the rakshasas and the worlds of Ayodhya, Sita’s home and Lanka also gives the film a distinctly cinematic interpretation of Valmiki’s timeless epic. The scenes involving the Lakshman Rekha and Sita’s kidnapping are among the trailer’s major visual highlights.

Ramayana Trailer Launch at San Diego Comic-Con

The trailer was unveiled at the prestigious San Diego Comic-Con on July 30. Producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari and lead actors Ranbir Kapoor and Yash attended the event and introduced the ambitious project to an international audience.

Before that, the makers hosted the promotional event Pratham Sankalp at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Shobana, Rakul Preet Singh, Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, Vivek Oberoi and Ajinkya Deo were among the cast members present.

Nitesh Tiwari on Casting Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi

Director Nitesh Tiwari has explained that Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi were his first choices for Rama and Sita. He said he saw Lord Rama in Ranbir’s eyes and Sita in Sai Pallavi’s eyes, while highlighting their sincerity and talent for the roles.

Ranbir Kapoor has also said that the role of Lord Ram chose him rather than the other way around.

Sai Pallavi, meanwhile, spoke about the responsibility of portraying Sita on screen and described the role as a major challenge requiring sincerity from the entire filmmaking team.

Namit Malhotra on Ramayana

Producer Namit Malhotra said the project has been more than a decade in the making. According to him, the central responsibility was to approach the Ramayana with honesty, authenticity and reverence while presenting the timeless story with modern cinematic craftsmanship.

Ramayana Cast and Production Details

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part cinematic adaptation of Valmiki’s epic. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi plays Sita and Yash portrays Ravana.

The cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara and Adinath Kothare as Bharat.

The film is backed by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. It is reportedly being made on a massive budget of around ₹4,000 crore.

Oscar winners Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman have composed the music, marking their first collaboration on an Indian film. Pankaj Kumar is the cinematographer, while Mad Max action director Guy Norris has designed the action sequences. The screenplay has been written by Nitesh Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan.

Ramayana Release Date

Ramayana is being filmed for IMAX and will release worldwide in two parts. The first instalment is scheduled to arrive in theatres on Diwali 2026, while the second part is slated for Diwali 2027.

Watch Ramayana Trailer