Surprisingly, the trailer launched in Los Angeles was praised by the audience there, but in India, viewers found several flaws
Some also noted that Ranbir appeared older on screen and lacked the divine aura traditionally associated with portrayals of Lord Ram in earlier film and television adaptations.
The teaser of Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana has received mixed reactions from Indian audiences after it was unveiled on April 2, despite an earlier positive response during its exclusive screening in Los Angeles. Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta was among the first to react, posting on X: “Obvious observation. VFX companies don’t win Oscars. The technicians do.” His remark was widely seen as a subtle jab at the producers for bringing in international VFX giant DNEG, which won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for Dune.
Soon after, several critics and netizens expressed disappointment with producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari’s Rs 4,000 crore project. A major point of criticism was the VFX, with many calling it subpar. Viewers felt that the heavy use of CGI made several sequences — especially those involving demons, sunsets, war scenes, and even simple walking shots — look overprocessed and artificial.
Some also noted that Ranbir appeared older on screen and lacked the divine aura traditionally associated with portrayals of Lord Ram in earlier film and television adaptations.
One netizen wrote, “For a Rs 4,000 crore film, it feels underwhelming. A few shots work, but most look AI-generated. Expected far better. Hope they fix it before the final release.”
Another user commented, “Ranbir Kapoor looks a bit aged. The makers are trying to present him as younger, but it doesn’t feel convincing. He is not looking bad, but he is definitely not looking young either. Because of that, it feels slightly misfit for the role. The visuals are very good — some shots are extremely impressive. However, considering the reported Rs 4,000 crore budget, it feels exaggerated. The scale doesn’t fully match such a huge budget.”
Many also pointed out the absence of dialogue from Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, which remains a point of curiosity among fans. One viewer even questioned the absence of Sita, played by Sai Pallavi, asking, “Where is Sita? Isn’t she integral to the epic?”
Highlight:
A major point of criticism was the VFX, with many calling it subpar. Viewers felt that the heavy use of CGI made several sequences — especially those involving demons, sunsets, war scenes, and even simple walking shots — look overprocessed and artificial.
One viewer questioned the absence of Sita, played by Sai Pallavi, asking, “Where is Sita? Isn’t she integral to the epic?”
Audience today is very vigilant
J P Dutta who has produced and directed some of the biggest epic adventures of the 1980s and 1990s believes the audience is constantly alert. “Never underestimate the power of the audience. Yeh public hai sab janti hai. In today’s day and age the audience is far more educated in technical aspects of cinema than they used to be back in our days.”
Filmmaker Rohit Jugraj who has directed films in Punjabi and Hindi feels ‘gaucherie’ is not something filmmakers can afford. “The need to be unerring in details is all-prevalent. Today’s average viewer is a filmmaker in his mind. He will edit the film while watching it.”
By Subhash K Jha
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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