Ranbir Kapoor and Yash bring the spectacle and aura, but where are the emotions? | Ramayana trailer review
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Probably not since Baahubali has Indian cinema attempted to put its foot forward in such a grand fashion for the rest of the world, like Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is trying. The movie is the costliest and grandest ever made on Indian shores. The first trailer - 4 minutes 10 seconds of it - wastes no time in showing you that. The grand scale, the dazzling visual effects, and that masterful score from the two maestros pull you in. But Ramayana has never been about the spectacle. It has always been about the connect you feel with the story, with the world, and with Lord Rama. There, this Ramayana trailer seemed to fall flat, as we saw stars on screens, not the Gods and demigods we grew up on. Ramayana trailer gets a lot right in its presentation, but sacrifices the core strength of Indian filmmaking - emotions.
Adding to this, Ramayana trailer review: Ranbir Kapoor in a still from the Nitesh Tiwari movie. What the Ramayana trailer gets right The scale is the one thing you cannot ignore with the trailer of Ramayana Part One. Everything from Ravana’s ascent as the king of Lanka to shots of Lord Rama’s exile are some of the grandest ever filmed in Indian cinema. The VFX complements them. The visual effects show a marked improvement since the Rama glimpse that was rolled out earlier this year. The battle sequences, particularly the shot of Airavata and Lord Indra falling, are spectacular, as are the designs of the daanavs and rakshasas. And then there is the Ramayana theme from Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, which elevates the trailer to another plane. The one time I truly had goosebumps during the trailer was when the crescendo builds to ‘Dharti hai ambar hai..’ from the theme as Lord Rama vows to slay Ravana.
Meanwhile, Among the cast, Yash exudes Ravana’s aura and charisma. Both as the renegade who usurps Lanka from Kubera and the almighty Lankesh, he looks the part. But the problem his that his voice does not carry the weight of the man who rules the three lokas. Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha were my other standout performers in the trailer, both leaving a mark despite limited screen time. I would have wanted to see more of Ravie Dubey’s Lakshman, too, or at least hear him speak here. I will reserve my judgment on Sai Pallavi’s Sita when I see more of her, but she does appear to fit the part, to say the least.
Notably, But the biggest elephant in the room in this trailer, for me, is Ranbir Kapoor . He is a fine star, probably the best of his generation from Hindi cinema. To take on the role of Lord Rama in a movie of this scale, at this time, there is probably no other choice. But the problem is that throughout the trailer, I saw only Ranbir and not Rama. His dialogue delivery, which is otherwise standout, was very flat here. Some of the lines he gets here are to set the tone of the movie, but they seemed to be coming from another of Ranbir’s characters and not from Lord Rama . That makes the suspension of disbelief harder.
As per the latest buzz, Indian cinema has had a tricky relationship with trailers. For years, our trailers were just crunched versions of the movie. But that changed in the 90s with films like Darr and Raja Hindustani, as filmmakers cut trailers to entice the audience. Of late, Animal and Dhurandhar did the same. But Ramayana doesn’t take the less-is-more approach. Instead, it chooses to spell out the plot. And while we are all familiar with the story, we would have liked to see some things for the first time in the theatre. It still hides the vanaras' design, particularly Lord Hanuman's, so there is something to look forward to. But I do fear that the movie has already opened all its big cards.
In further updates, I am hopeful, if not totally optimistic. I will admit that Ramayana is my most anticipated movie of the year. I have been looking forward to it even more than a Dune Part Three or Avengers Doomsday (or King, closer to home). I really want this movie to be good because its success can open doors for Indian cinema that have been shut for decades. But mere anticipation and hope cannot sustain a movie. It needs substance. And I fear that may be lacking here.
On top of that, For the sake of Ramayana and its makers, I hope the movie is more than what the trailer shows. But come November, and Nitesh Tiwari, Namit Malhotra, and Ranbir Kapoor & co face their biggest agni pariksha. This movie does not depend on what critics say. It is Ramayana. It needs to connect with the masses. Failing that, it may be relegated to the unsavoury chapters of history. Look up Om Raut and Adipurush if there’s any doubt on that claim.
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Movie Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times