The Making of Ravana’ unveiled: Makers offer a glimpse into Yash’s transformation as Ramayana opens to a resounding response across India

Featuring insights from producer Namit Malhotra, Ranbir Kapoor, Rocking Star Yash and director Nitesh Tiwari, the special behind-the-scenes unit offers a glimpse into the vision and creative process behind bringing one of the epic’s most complex characters to life

Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana has opened to a tremendous response across the country, even in the pre-festival period. Backed by glowing reviews and audience love, the epic is being praised for its breathtaking scale and powerful performances, with Rocking Star Yash, who also co-produces the film, drawing special appreciation for his commanding portrayal of Ravana and the many dimensions he brings to the iconic character.

Adding to the excitement surrounding the film, the makers have unveiled a special behind-the-scenes unit titled ‘The Making of Ravana’, taking audiences behind the creation of one of the most iconic and complex characters from the epic.

Speaking about the casting, Namit Malhotra reflects on the unique challenge of bringing together a character as widely perceived as Ravana and a superstar like Yash, who enjoys immense love and admiration from audiences. He shares that the role required someone with a larger-than-life presence, an unmistakable aura and the star power that Yash brings. Namit also highlights how their shared ambition and vision became the foundation of this collaboration.

The video captures how Rocking Star Yash’s friends and family questioned his choice, given the character’s traditional association with evil and his own stature as a celebrated superstar. However, for the actor, the story was always bigger than stardom. His desire to be part of Ramayana stemmed from the belief that it is their story, and as he puts it, none of them are bigger than Ramayana.

The unit also explores the many dimensions of Ravana, going beyond the conventional understanding of him as an antagonist. A great astrologer, a devoted Shivabhakt and a formidable warrior, Ravana remains one of the most fascinating and layered characters in the epic. It is this complexity that makes his journey particularly intriguing to explore and brings a distinct dimension to Yash’s portrayal, which has been garnering appreciation from audiences.

Director Nitesh Tiwari offers a deeper perspective on the character, emphasising that Ravana cannot be viewed as a straightforward villain. Drawing an interesting distinction between the two central characters, he describes Rama as the heart and Ravana as the brain, highlighting the constant conflict between the mind and the heart. The film explores this complexity through a fresh representation of Ravana, bringing out the many layers that define his personality.

Ranbir Kapoor offers an interesting perspective on Yash’s interpretation of the character, appreciating the actor’s portrayal and the complex understanding of Ravana that comes through on screen. His insights further underline the contrast between the two central figures and the different dimensions they bring to the epic.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Namit Malhotra sums up the coming together of their ambitions, saying that while he had a vision for Ramayana, Yash brought the ambition to make the impossible possible. For him, it was a moment where vision met ambition in its truest sense.

Bringing one of the world’s most revered epics to the big screen, Ramayana features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Rocking Star Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with 8-time Oscar-winning DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is envisioned as a two-part epic. Part 1 has released worldwide on 5 November 2026, followed by Part 2 in Diwali 2027, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across India. The film will be released in IMAX, with Sony Pictures distributing it globally, excluding India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market and MonsterMind, SVC Release and , AVA Cholayil and Think Studios taking care of the southern distribution.