All eyes are on the trailer of Ranbir Kapoor starrer Ramayana Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The film's grand trailer has already been released and shown to fans in Los Angeles and New York City for a second screening.
Even as the trailer is under embargo, many clips and photos from it have leaked online. During the fan fest event, Ranbir lovingly interacted with fans, clicked selfies with them, and also answered their questions. The two-day fan fest also featured a Q&A session, where Ranbir got candid like never before.
Several clips and photos from the fan fest have gone viral. In those clips, fans noticed Ranbir's receding hairline and a patch on the side of his forehead, which is usually missing in his other photos.
It has been widely reported that Ranbir opted for a hair transplant and wore a patch to hide his receding hairline for shoots and events. As the photos and clips went viral, Redditors commented on his look and said his face looks swollen and he is looking way too aged as compared to other celebs.
Take a look at the reactions.
A user wrote, "Bruh, what happened to Ranbir's face? him playing as Lord Ram is now concerning..."
Another wrote, "Bad hair transplant?"
Ahead of the grand India launch, Ranbir Kapoor was spotted at the airport as he arrived in Mumbai from LA. The actor was seen in incognito mode, wearing a hoodie as he made his way to his car, covering his head with the hood. He greeted the paps warmly and said, "Jai Shree Ram," a gesture that quickly caught fans' attention.
?#NiteshTiwari finally speaks out:
— Redding Cream ? (@FlamesBeyondAll) March 31, 2026
"Lord Ram was a man of few words. His love was unbound. His pain could not be seen but it could be felt.. There is nobody better than #RanbirKapoor to portray all these things & manage the expectations of a billion people"#Ramayana pic.twitter.com/2IrweuTNof
1/ I told him I loved his work in Dhurandhar and he started saying “No that is a different Ranveer..” before @niteshtiwari22 cut him off and told him I was pulling his leg with the Dream11 ad! pic.twitter.com/csLvAH2zy7
— Vishal Misra (@vishalmisra) March 31, 2026
Ranbir Kapoor is facing massive backlash for portraying the role of Lord Ram. Amid the criticism, Nitesh Tiwari spoke about why he trusted Ranbir Kapoor to do justice to the role of Lord Ram and bring it to life on the big screen.
During the fan event, Nitesh Tiwari said, "Lord Ram was a man of few words. His love was unbound. His pain could not be seen, but it could be felt. His courage needed a lot of physicality. This role was really demanding, and so we felt that there was nobody better than Ranbir Kapoor to portray all these things and manage the expectations of a billion people."
Explaining the reason behind his attempt to modernise an epic like Ramayana, Nitesh Tiwari said, "I would not say that we made a conscious effort to make it into a modern tale or something. The essence of 'Ramayana' lies in the values that it holds. Those values are universal and timeless. I do not need to modernise it anyway. What has happened is the world has forgotten those values; it's time we remind them, and maybe a film like this will make the world a better place."
On March 27, which marked Ram Navami, the makers of Ramayana announced that they would release the first look of Ranbir Kapoor as Rama on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
?#NiteshTiwari finally speaks out:
— Redding Cream ? (@FlamesBeyondAll) March 31, 2026
"Lord Ram was a man of few words. His love was unbound. His pain could not be seen but it could be felt.. There is nobody better than #RanbirKapoor to portray all these things & manage the expectations of a billion people"#Ramayana pic.twitter.com/2IrweuTNof
Making the special announcement on the auspicious day of Ram Navami, Namit wrote,
"Shubh Rama Navami. This is a story that belongs to all of us, and every step we take has been guided by a deep sense of responsibility, devotion, and care to bring our very own Ramayana to life in its truest spirit and scale with utmost sincerity."
The producer added, "We look forward to sharing the next glimpse, 'Rama', on 2nd April, on the auspicious occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, as we begin to showcase all these years of our effort through a grand launch with fans to celebrate this moment across the world. Thank you for your love, faith, and patience."
About Ramayana
Alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Ramayana boasts a star-studded cast with Yash stepping into the role of Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol portraying Lord Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lord Lakshman.
On the technical front, the project brings together global heavyweights, including Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman. The action is helmed by Mad Max: Fury Road stunt director Guy Norris, with performance capture expert Terry Notary known for his work on the Avengers films also on board.
The epic is planned as a two-part cinematic spectacle, with releases slated for Diwali 2026 and 2027, respectively.
