Ram Gopal Varma Hails ‘Ramayana: Rise Of A Legend’ as a Landmark for Indian Cinema After Second Viewing

A Second Viewing and a Strong Endorsement

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has reaffirmed his admiration for Ramayana: Rise of a Legend after watching it a second time. Writing on X, the director, who describes himself as an atheist, said his praise rests on the view of a film watcher rather than that of a devotee of Lord Ram.

Praise for Scale and Ambition

Varma argued that critics who grudgingly acknowledge the film’s scale before complaining that its soul is missing or its music is weak have overlooked where the film’s emotion truly lies. In his view, the soul is found within the scale itself and the ambition of the team involved. He credited director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra with taking a well-known devotional epic and presenting it on a canvas that, he said, made the great Hollywood films feel like stage plays.

Standout Sequences

He singled out several sequences for particular praise, including the opening cosmic battle, the materialisation of Ravana’s ten heads, the forest landscapes and the climactic Jatayu sequence. Rather than treating these as mere visual effects, Varma described them as landmark moments for Indian cinema’s future.

Yash’s Ravana

The filmmaker reserved his highest praise for Yash’s portrayal of Ravana. He said the actor had gone beyond a conventional villain to portray a man whose power is earned through penance, intelligence and defiance, and whose devotion to Lord Shiva and ambition become a kind of prison. Varma credited screenwriter Sridhar Raghavan for the character’s backstory, including its trauma and devotion, and said he could not recall a performance with such an electrifying impact on him in all his years of watching cinema.

A Message to Bollywood

Varma also used the post to address the Hindi film industry, calling Malhotra’s backing of a project of this magnitude a rebuke to Bollywood and a reminder of what is possible with commitment. Users were invited to share their opinion on whether they agree with his assessment.

Background

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, with Yash playing Ravana. The film’s box office performance has been widely reported, and reactions from reviewers have been mixed, with some praising its scale while questioning other aspects. Varma’s comments add to the ongoing public debate about the film’s merits.

What Next

As discussion around the film continues, its reception among audiences and critics is likely to remain a focus of coverage, particularly given the strong views expressed by prominent industry voices.