What international critics think of Ranbir Kapoor's 'Ramayana'
What's the story
The first international reviews for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana have been released, following the film's grand world premiere in Los Angeles. While the Ranbir Kapoor and Yash-starrer has received mixed reviews regarding its length and narrative, critics have mostly praised its visual effects and scale. The English version of Ramayana is nearly 30 minutes shorter than the Indian version but still seems to have disappointed early reviewers with its runtime.
Mixed reviews
Ambition wins praise, but storytelling receives criticism
NYC Movie Guru's Avi Offer called Ramayana "bloated, clunky, exhausting, emotionally hollow, and poorly acted."
He added, "In a double feature with Sita Sings the Blues, it would be the inferior, overproduced B-movie."
Giovanni Lago from Next Best Picture gave it a 5/10 rating and suggested that it might have fared better as a TV adaptation akin to Game of Thrones.
IndieWire gave the film a 'B' rating and described it as an "epic."
Negative review
'IGN' gave the film a discouraging review
IndieWire wrote, "It might as well be Homer and the Bible all rolled into one, and Tiwari's film adaptation takes that responsibility seriously."
In contrast, Siddhant Adlakha from IGN sharply criticized the film.
He wrote, "The film's depiction of [Rama] is an utter bore. [The film] has neither the emotional hook nor the soul to compensate for its lack of visual momentum."
"The film feels entirely off-kilter even before characters open their distracting, digitally rendered mouths."
Visuals vs execution
However, the visual appeal of the film has impressed critics
Despite the criticism, Ramayana has been lauded for its visual appeal.
Offer called it "a visually dazzling action adventure with great set and costume design."
Similarly, Brandon Zachary from Screen Rant rated it 7/10 and wrote: "On a purely visual and technical level, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is an impressive cinematic achievement."
"That technical craft is on display in almost every reel," he added.
Film overview
Everything to know about 'Ramayana'
Produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is a two-part film.
The first part will be released worldwide on November 5, while the second part will be released on Diwali 2027.
It features an ensemble cast including Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.