Ramayana early reactions: over 3 hours, scale and a cliffhanger

The first look at Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is in, and the early word from the Los Angeles premiere is grand, emotional and slightly divided. On Tuesday night, Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash walked the red carpet with Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra before the film screened in Hindi and an English-dubbed version.

The scale arrives before the story

One spoiler-free reaction that began circulating after the screening compared the experience to watching The Lord of the Rings for the first time in 2001. The viewer described the film as ‘very grand’ and ‘very epic,’ and said there is ‘nothing out there in the cinematic universe’ quite like what he had just watched.

That is the bar the team is chasing: not just a faithful retelling, but a global event. Yash, who plays Ravana, made the ambition plain on the carpet. ‘Where you start can never define how far you can go,’ he said, adding that the Ramayana is a story India remembers and passes down for generations rather than simply retells.

Rama and Ravana get the first applause

Early reactions singled out both ends of the moral spectrum. Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama drew an enthusiastic ‘wow’ from one viewer, while another called Yash’s Ravana ‘the biggest highlight,’ particularly in his introduction portions. Ranbir and Sai Pallavi were called ‘solid’ in the same reaction, though it noted that the divine aura and emotional weight do not always fully translate on screen.

Why the runtime matters

The film is not a quick watch. The original Hindi version runs over three hours, and an English-dubbed cut is about 30 minutes shorter. The viral reaction was direct: the reviewer said he had ‘no interest’ in the dubbed version and wanted the authentic movie.

That is a useful signal for fans. The full runtime seems to be part of the immersion, not an obstacle. Here is what the first reactions agree on:

• Runtime: over three hours in Hindi; the English dub is shorter by roughly 30 minutes.
• Highlights: Yash’s Ravana and Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama lead the early praise.
• Ending: the cliffhanger prompted an audible ‘no,’ and part two is slated for Diwali 2027.

Read the room, not just the hype

It is worth remembering that first reactions are an emotional temperature check, not a final review. The premiere audience had the cast in the room and the weight of the occasion in the air. A more measured early post offered the balancing view: the ambition and scale ‘deserve a lot of applause,’ and the film is ‘definitely watchable,’ but it ‘falls short of the massive expectations’ and feels like a ‘mixed bag with so much more potential.’

For Hindi film fans, the practical advice is simple. If you want the fullest experience, choose the original Hindi version and settle in for the long runtime; if you are introducing the epic to a newcomer, the shorter English dub is the trade-off. Either way, do not expect closure. The cliffhanger is designed to make you wait for Diwali 2027.

Source: The Times of India