The countdown has officially begun to bring one of India’s greatest epics back to life on screen once again. The Ramayana The mythological saga has been adapted in many forms over the years, but what makes Nitesh Tiwari’s latest film so promising is the grand scale and budget on which it is mounted.
Starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana in the lead, the film has created an incredible buzz over the past few weeks. With two days to go until the release, and promotions in full swing, the excitement has only doubled. However, the film has been embroiled in a host of controversies over the years, with some rumors dating back to 2021.
From Kareena Kapoor denying claims of being offered the role of Sita, turning it down due to salary negotiations, to old talks revisiting her sattvic diet claim for Lord Ram to Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘big beef fan’ comment, controversies have escalated.
Here’s a look at the most popular ones:
1) AR Rahman’s music compositions met with backlash
Starting with the most recent controversy around The RamayanaFans were not impressed with the songs mars color And Ravana Tandav Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, who has collaborated with the legendary Hans Zimmer, faced intense scrutiny.
parts of mars colorA song that celebrates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya was criticized for its Sufi-inspired melodies and ‘qawwali’ touch. It was accused of not preserving the sanctity of an original Hindu epic and the essence of a traditional narrative.
While some had hoped for a sound more closely related to Sanatan Dharma, others were disappointed by its electronic treatment. Ravana Tandav sequence, saying it lacked the intensity they had hoped for.
AR Rahman has responded to the criticism over the music of Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film. Ramayana: The Rise of a Legend.
“If you want to satisfy everyone, sell ice cream,” Rahman said, quoting Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
In an interview with Screen, Rahman talks about his creative process and explains why he doesn’t believe in judging a work too early.
According to the composer, a piece of music often requires several rounds of time and thought before it reaches its final form.
He also revealed that he is usually his first critic.
“I am my first critic. It’s not that I love everything. We don’t decide something in a day. We live with it sometimes for months. There is a thought process,” he said.
2) VFX and AI criticism
The first teaser of when The Ramayana It was unveiled months ago, with a lot of judgment being given on the use of VFX and AI in the film. Viewers were of the opinion that many of the frames and backgrounds were cheap in quality and produced by heavy AI.
A BTS video was released to counter the negative comments and show the actual physical sets and efforts made to create the world of Ramayana, but this too backfired.
Recently, Yash, who plays Ravana, asked the audience to watch the film with an “open mind” instead of finding “small faults” in its visual effects or other aspects. Yash also talked about the money and effort Namit Malhotra put into making the film for a worldwide audience.
Yash said, “I will request one thing to all of you. Namit Malhotra has made it a gamble. Trust me, he has risked his reputation, his money, everything to bring this film to a global platform. Ultimately, cinema will be something that everyone, if he likes it, will talk about it.”
“One thing I’ll tell you, please don’t try to find little VFX flaws, this, that. It’s never going to happen again. If we lose people like that now, it’s going to be years, we’re going to go back.”
The makers even said it is for an IMAX 3D screening.
3) Intense scrutiny of Sai Pallavi as Sita
From the trailer of The Ramayana Was evicted on 20 July, Sai Pallavi has faced constant criticism over her casting as Sita. Be it the beauty standards, her screen presence, or, more broadly, her Hindi accent, audiences were not convinced. Somewhere the North vs. South debate also came into the conversation.
Another separate discussion was around her hair texture as Sita, with viewers questioning whether the latter had wavy hair at all. The film’s costume design and the look of the blouse caused an uproar, with wardrobe historians and conservative factions questioning its cultural and historical accuracy. Others shared memes comparing Lara Dutta’s Kaikai with characters from popular television serials.
Speaking about the investigation, costume designer Rimple said, “We knew that conversation and comparisons were inevitable. An epic like the Ramayana lives in our collective consciousness for generations. There will always be opinions about casting, costumes, visual effects, and what people believe is right or wrong. We were ready for what our craft was made of.”
Addressing the criticism surrounding Sita’s blouse, Rimple explained that the decision was a conscious one and rooted in her personal understanding of the character.
“When I close my eyes and think of Goddess Sita, I don’t think of archetypal authenticity. I wanted my goddess, who sits in my temple, to look like the image that resides in my consciousness. It was a deliberate choice,” he said.
Sai Pallavi also faced serious boycott trends after an old interview clip resurfaced regarding comparisons between religious violence and political or military conflicts. Social media users were of the opinion that this made Sai Pallavi insensitive and unfit to play the role of Goddess Sita.
4) Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Big Beef Fan’ comment and diet allegations
Ranbir Kapoor is getting a lot of criticism for being cast as Lord Ram The Ramayana Because of old interviews and the way the character is being portrayed, as seen in the first look of the film.
A 2011 interview with Ranbir Kapoor went viral in which he called himself a “big beef fan”. The audience felt that it was inappropriate for him to play the role of a Hindu deity.
He had said, “My family is from Peshawar, so a lot of Peshawar food has come with them. I am fond of mutton, pie and beef. Yes, I am a big fan of beef.”
Further fueling the criticism were reports that Ranbir Kapoor had adopted a sattvic lifestyle before the family Christmas lunch video surfaced. Audiences then criticized what they saw as a false ‘holy’ image being presented to market the film, with some saying the cultural icon had apologized before taking on the role.
5) Kareena Kapoor’s alleged salary negotiation for playing Sita
During the initial casting stages, several reports claimed that Kareena Kapoor Khan was approached to play Seetha before Sai Pallavi. The actor reportedly demanded double the salary from her, after which the deal fell through.
Breaking her silence on this, Kareena Kapoor Khan told Zoom, “I don’t even know why I was cast in it because I wasn’t selected for the film. These are all made-up stories, and I don’t want to put anyone down because they also need stories. Every day, people are looking for some kind of story on Instagram, but I don’t know where it came from.”
6) Towards the initial criticism of Deepika Chikhalia The Ramayana
Deepika Chikhalia won the hearts of audiences as Sita in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic 1987 film. The Ramayana In June 2024, he expressed strong dissatisfaction with another remake of the epic.
He had said, “I am quite disappointed with people who keep making Ramayana because they want to bring a new story, a new angle, a new form.”
When the teaser of Nitesh Tiwari’s epic dropped, it struck a different tone. Reacting to the teaser in a chat with India Today, the actress praised the film’s scale and presentation.
She said, “I saw the teaser and it’s amazing. It looks very rich. Anhone very achhe se banaya hai. So now I’m waiting for the film and it looks beautiful, no doubt about it.”
7) Ravana commentary by Mukesh Chhabra
During a 2024 podcast with Ranveer Allahabadia, Mukesh Chhabra, casting director The Ramayanashared his opinion on Ravana, the film’s main antagonist, reiterating that his actions were driven by love.
He had said, “He wanted revenge, but he was also in love. As far as I understand Ravana, he was evil and vindictive, but his revenge was taken by love for his sister. Both Rama and Ravana were right in their own way… both in love.”
This led to widespread backlash and heated debate over what many saw as a misinterpretation of the character.
Mukesh Chhabra later issued an apology saying, “It has been brought to my attention that a statement I made during an interview has created controversy and hurt people’s sentiments. It was never my intention or intention. I sincerely apologize to everyone and wish to retract my statement.”
8) Series of legal disputes
Nitesh Tiwari had two major legal controversies The Ramayana got involved in
One arose when a public notice was issued by production company Allu Mantena Media Ventures LLP (Madhu Mantena), stating that it owned the rights to the Project Ramayan script and related content. The company claimed that talks were held with Prime Focus Technologies Ltd to acquire the rights till April 2024, but those talks fell through. This was followed by a warning that using the script without clearing the balance could amount to copyright infringement.
Another issue revolves around concerns about the makers allegedly leaking trailer footage online, despite invitation-only previews and non-disclosure agreements.
It was as recently as November 2026, when Godpower Media Pvt Ltd (holder of domestic and regional IP exploitation rights) approached the Bombay High Court for the same.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court passed a dynamic ad-interim order to protect the film from unauthorized recording, hosting, distribution or streaming before its release.
According to the bar and benchJustice Jamdar noted, “Prima facie, the plaintiff (Godpower) has a genuine and well-founded apprehension that the film or parts thereof will be recorded and uploaded, streamed or transmitted to the public on various platforms…”
10) Letters of protest and threats
A threatening letter was also sent to Nitesh Tiwari by Sri Ramlila Mahasangh president Arjun Kumar, demanding an inquiry. The Ramayana. This was in the wake of the critical response to the 2023 film Adipurusha He was accused of hurting religious sentiments. The special screening was for Hindu organizations and Ramlila committees to test the film’s content.
Other warnings stated that Ranbir Kapoor was not suitable for the role of Lord Ram and bypassing the demands would lead to nationwide protests.
As the film is just two days away from its release, there are myriad reasons, both positive and negative, behind the anticipation of one of the greatest epics in Indian cinema. It’s about timing.
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