'Ramayana': Yash says 'important for people to relate' to Ravana
What's the story
Yash, who will be seen as Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana, recently addressed the challenges of adapting his character for a global audience. Speaking at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, he said, "I have tried to internalize the whole essence of Ravana and make him as human as possible." The film is set to release on Diwali 2026.
Character portrayal
'Need to make it familiar to audience'
Yash told Reuters, "It's important for people to relate to him." He also addressed criticism over the film's Western-inspired asuras, saying, "Since we have global ambitions, we need to make it familiar to a Western audience as well." Producer Namit Malhotra added, "It's meant for the world, and it's got the best of the East and the best of the West coming together to make it happen."
Character depth
The movies will show different shades of Ravana
Director Tiwari had earlier said that his Ramayana films would not show Ravana as a one-dimensional villain. Instead, Yash's portrayal will also highlight his positive traits. He told Collider, "See, Ravana had so many aspects to his life. He was a great warrior, he was an accomplished musician, a scholar, a benevolent king, a great Shiva devotee...There was so much more to him than just being a black character."
Co-star's opinion
Ranbir Kapoor on Yash's performance
Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Lord Ram, also praised Yash's performance. He said, "Yash, of course, has the stardom that he does. To play Ravana, you need somebody who has that aura and screen presence." "His interpretation of Ravana is very different from what we have seen over the years. I think that's something which audiences will really enjoy watching on the big screen."
Film information
About the 'Ramayana' films
Yash is also one of the producers of Ramayana, which features a star-studded cast including Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The first part will be released globally in theaters on Diwali 2026, followed by the second part on Diwali 2027.