On Hanuman Jayanti, filmmaker Namit Malhotra unveiled the first look of his highly anticipated film Ramayana, featuring a star-studded cast including Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. The reveal, however, was met with mixed reactions and controversy across social media.
The teaser, which aims to position Ramayana as India’s answer to epic fantasies like Lord of the Rings with a budget of Rs 4000 crore, drew criticism for perceived shortcomings in visual effects and allegations of AI misuse. Fans and viewers pointed out a specific scene where Lord Rama is seen walking amidst devotees showering flowers. Closer inspection revealed a possible editing glitch: a young man in the crowd appears to bow to the camera rather than Lord Rama, then later seems to shower flowers on him. Notably, the same individual, along with others nearby, is shown repeatedly showering Lord Rama with flowers, with one person’s turban changing color—a sign some suggest of AI manipulation or editing errors.
A social media user shared a clip of the scene, sarcastically commenting, “Kid bows to Ranbir Kapoor while he walks past him then the same kid comes in the next frame to shower him with flowers 😂 #grok can make better AI videos than this.” Others drew parallels to Dhurandhar, criticising the film’s VFX quality, with one remarking, “The creature shots look like PS4 cut scenes, and Malhotra claimed it’s on par with Avatar—how can they expect to impress a global audience with this?”
Ramayana is the second major cinematic adaptation of Valmiki’s epic in India within a decade, following the 2023 release of Adipurush, which starred Prabhas and Kriti Sanon. That film was heavily criticised for its VFX and underperformed at the box office. The new project is scheduled for a two-part release, with Ramayana: Part One slated for October 2026, just ahead of Diwali, and Part Two expected in October 2027. Ranbir Kapoor will reportedly play dual roles as Lord Rama and Parashurama in the saga.