Ramayana review: Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi miscast as Lord Ram-Maa Sita, Yash shines as Ravana [Reactions]

All eyes are on Ramayana as the film is set to release in just a few days. However, the makers held a special screening of the film at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Present at the event were Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, and director Nitesh Tiwari, among others.

The first reviews of the film are out, and several viewers took to social media to share their reactions after attending the special screening of Ramayana in LA. Many praised the film's grand visuals and performances, with Yash's portrayal of Ravana emerging as a major talking point.

However, many also called out the overly loud action sequences and English dubbing, saying they took away from the essence of pure mythological cinema. Some even said that the film relied more on VFX and loud music than emotions.

First review: out: Yash was magnetic; Sai and Ranbir misfit

Many Indians in LA who watched the movie at the premiere also pointed out that Lord Ram did not have tears in his eyes when he left for vanvaas, but was happy. Certain nuances in the portrayal of the epic were also pointed out by viewers who were disappointed with the film.

One viewer wrote, "Ramayana: Rise of a Legend was spectacular! The visuals, the dances, the music, the action were all colossal. Ranbir Kapoor was sublime, Yash was magnetic. One of this year's most immersive cinematic experiences. A grand spectacle!"

Another user compared the cinematic experience to Hollywood's The Lord of the Rings franchise and wrote, "There is nothing like Ramayana in the cinematic universe. I haven't felt like this since the very first Lord Of the Rings movie came out. This movie is very grand and very epic."

The third one said, "I've never watched an Indian movie before, so I went in completely blind with just a basic ahh briefing that it was about Indian mythos I was blown away LOL, I genuinely ended up in tears by the end."

Not every viewer was impressed with Ranbir and Sai Pallavi's portrayal of Lord Ram and Mata Sita. Some viewers felt that the two actors were not the right fit for the roles, while others criticised their performances.

A user said, Ranbir looks swollen; Maa Sita looks old; she was young when she got married. Yash dominated the film; Yash's screen presence as Ravana.

One user wrote, "Just got out of the world premiere. A massive misfire and an insult to the Ramayana story. #RanbirKapoor gives a poor perf as Ram and #SaiPallavi is bad as Sita. #ARRahman score is really weak. #Yash is pathetic as Raavana. Worst cgi and dead screenplay. TRASH! 1.5/5 .."

Another viewer criticised Ranbir's performance and the music, writing, "Ranbir has a single expression throughout the movie. Hans zimmer gives mid music for first time. Only Slow motions & loud music ?"

Meanwhile, a user also questioned certain creative choices in the film, writing, "Bollywood will never stop adding its own masala, even to the Ramayana. Since when did the bride sit and watch the groom's Haldi ceremony in traditional Hindu weddings? The groom has his Haldi at his home, and the bride has hers at her own home in many Indian traditions."

When an X user asked her why she preferred RRR over Ramayana, she replied, "I liked the story, acting, VFX, and music better in RRR vs Ramayana. I still have the same dubbing problem with both films, however. I have never been able to watch RRR in its original Telugu form in the U.S. I have watched the Hindi dubbed version several times (sic)."

Audiences in India are surely excited to watch the movie, but Namit Malhotra's production venture is also one of the most awaited films in Pakistan. A YouTuber from Karachi, Pakistan, shared a video in which Hindus in the city are seen celebrating Ramayana and cheering for the movie.

In the video, a few people are seen extending their best wishes to Ranbir, Sai and Nitesh for Ramayana. They also put up the film's poster at a temple in Karachi, hoping that it would perform well at the box office and win an Oscar award.

Due to the political and military tensions between the two countries, the release of Indian films has been banned in Pakistan. So, it will be interesting to see whether Ramayana gets a release in the neighbouring country.

Earlier this year, there were reports that the pirated version of Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar had become quite popular in Pakistan, with over 2 million downloads of the film reportedly recorded.

Ramayana will be released in two parts. Part 1 is slated to be released in theaters on November 5, 2026, while Part 2 is scheduled for Diwali next year. However, reports suggest that the second installment may have been postponed to 2028.