Dual role twist: Ranbir Kapoor plays more than just Lord Rama in Ramayana

The teaser for Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana , touted as India’s costliest film , dropped on Hanuman Jayanti , starring Ranbir Kapoor , Sai Pallavi and Yash , and instantly trended online. While many praised the grandeur, others critiqued the visuals and VFX as underwhelming or “game‑like.”

During the Ramayana teaser launch event in Los Angeles , Ranbir confirmed he will play a double role in the mythological epic. “Just to get the opportunity… to also play Lord Parshurama was fantastic,” he told Collider, stressing how he used different body language and voice to reflect the distinct temperaments of Rama and Parshurama .

On playing Lord Rama , Ranbir explained his personal approach, saying he isn’t “here to represent him, I’m here to learn from him ,” and emphasized the rarity of Rama’s purity. He also revealed how deeply he engaged with the spirituality and emotionality of both avatars in preparation, spending nearly a year readying for the roles.

The cast’s chemistry impressed Ranbir too. He shared that “ nobody was better suited for Sita than Sai Pallavi ,” and praised Yash’s stardom as Ravana. The film also features Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman , underlining Ramayana’s epic ensemble.

The film is being released in two parts : Ramayana: Part I, runtime approx. 3 hours , hitting theaters 8 November 2026 , timed with Diwali . Ramayana: Part II, also around 3 hours , scheduled for Diwali 2027 .

Ramayana continues to spark conversation, from heartfelt admiration to spirited debate, as it gears up to redefine mythological cinema for a global audience.