'Ramayana': Ranbir's armor was finished just 1 hour before filming!
What's the story
The much-anticipated film Ramayana: Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, has been making headlines for its grand scale and meticulous attention to detail. A crucial part of this visual spectacle was the costume and armor design by Ajay Kumar. In a recent interview with Variety India, Kumar revealed that one of his biggest challenges was perfecting the armor worn by Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram.
Design process
Kumar was brought on board after being recommended Chetan Deolekar
Kumar, who has previously worked on films like Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela and Padmaavat, was brought on board after his name was recommended by Supervising Producer Chetan Deolekar.
He started by designing a sample armor for King Dashrath (Arun Govil), before moving on to Ram's princely look for the sequence where he accompanies sage Vishwamitra to battle Taraka and Subahu.
Actor's input
One of the biggest challenges was getting the thickness right
Kumar shared that one of the biggest challenges was getting the thickness of the armor right.
"My sample had a thickness of 8mm to 10mm, but the final product had to have a thickness of 2mm to 4mm. It was very tough because it was made of rubber, which took two weeks."
However, things got even more difficult when Kapoor asked for changes in the design.
Design adjustments
Kapoor wanted the armor to fit like a second skin
Kapoor wanted the armor to fit like a second skin, without any extensions from the shoulder or neckline.
"Ranbir also gave his feedback. He told me I did exactly what he was looking for, but he wanted it to be refined."
"I got the same feedback from Ravie Dubey (Lakshman)."
The designer had just two days to make these changes.
Final fitting
Kumar delivered the armor just an hour before the shoot
Kumar delivered the armor just an hour before the shoot.
"I went to RK's vanity and requested him to try his armor on. He kept trusting me with the whole process, and it was important for me to make him feel like Ram in the clothes."
"I was scared because everything depended on how the armor was. Then he tried it on and gave me a go-ahead. He liked my work," he added.
Other designs
Kumar also designed Yash's armor for Ravana
Kumar was involved in designing the armor for Yash's character, Ravana, too. He was initially tasked with creating the armor for Yash's stunt double but later made one for the actor himself.
"We shared the look with Saniya (Sardhariya, costume designer) and her team, and they liked it. He also liked the look and was open to trying it on."
The designer has also worked on Vivek Oberoi's Vidyutjihva costume.