Long ago, the Devas and Asuras were at war with one another. When the Devas received the guidance of Vishnu, they triumphed and the Asuras were imprisoned and condemned to unfavorable living conditions. The Asura Dashanan rises up on behalf of his people, making a literal deal with the Gods to lead his tribe and restore their former glory, crowning himself Ravana. When Ravana goes mad with power, Vishnu chooses Prince Rama to be the one to put an end to a threat that even the gods cannot stop. But other drama and trials will stand in the way of Rama’s quest to bring justice back to the world.
I love foreign cinema, but I’ll be the first to admit I’m not familiar with the famed Indian epic poem on which RAMAYANA (the film) is based. That said, this lover of all cinema, foreign and domestic alone, was certainly willing to give the movie a shot. A three-hour-plus epic in Hindi (subtitled in English) definitely isn’t the sort of fare I normally see as a critic, but I looked forward to seeing something a bit different than the mess of superhero movies, reboots, remakes, and recycled ideas we’ve seen in films for so many years now. RAMAYANA is not a perfect film; it’s too long (and it’s only PART 1!) and has way too many characters and side trips. But I’ll be damned if I wasn’t sucked in by its earthly and otherworldly drama, gorgeous visuals, and fabulous musical score. It’s one of the unexpected surprises of 2026 in cinema despite its shortcomings.
It’s worth noting that, according to the Wikipedia entry for the film, RAMAYANA is the most expensive film ever made in India, as well as the most expensive non-English language movie ever made. I’m pleased to say that the movie certainly looks the part with its spectacular costuming, kingdoms, characters, and gorgeous wilderness sites. Every single frame of RAMAYANA is a literal work of art you’d be proud to hang on your wall, and that’s no easy task for any movie to pull off. From beautiful human princess to literal gods and deities, the cast of RAMAYANA is one of the most interesting I’ve seen on the big screen in a long time. My screening took place at the AMC Town Square IMAX theater, complete with 3D glasses and everything. To say this movie is gorgeous would be an understatement.
I miss the days when “epic” filmmaking was a thing. Okay, I admittedly wasn’t alive back then, but I’ve enjoyed rediscovering the classics. Movies like THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, BEN-HUR, and LAWRENCE OF ARABIA have earned their place in cinematic history, and with good reason. Nothing that’s come since brings about the same thrills and scope of filmmaking. But I can say with confidence that RAMAYANA might be the closest to this I’ve seen in a long time, and that’s certainly welcome. The cast, which consists of a lot of characters and plot threads, breathes life into this age-old tale.
RAMAYANA sounds as great as it looks. The film features the work of famed composer Hans Zimmer, a man who’s worked on more films that I can count, including many that are likely personal favorites of yours. His work translates brilliantly to this Indian epic, and gives it an atmosphere it may have lacked in the hands of a lesser name.
As much as I liked the movie, it’s not perfect. It’s far too long with way too many characters and subplots; I understand the want to be respectful to the original tale, but this may be a bit much for casual audiences to digest. It goes in too many different directions and at times lacks focus; you’ll wish there had been some more editing places. It does make one ponder whether this needed to be a duology of films instead of one long one, though I won’t deny for one second it looks and sounds amazing and held my attention despite the minor flaws.
RAMAYANA won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it definitely delivers the good where it needs to, bringing an ancient Indian epic to the big screen in a big way. The cast, the production team, and the film score composers unite to give moviegoers something that deserves to be seen on a huge screen. Mild shortcomings aside, highly recommended. Bring on PART 2!