Will Sunny Deol’s Hanuman Appear in Ramayana Part I?

Ramayana: Rise of Legend arrives in cinemas on November 5, and the biggest piece of casting chatter is not about the scale or the background score. It is whether Sunny Deol’s Lord Hanuman makes an appearance in the first part. According to an India Today exclusive, the full introduction is being held for the second instalment—but a small surprise could still be waiting for audiences.

The Hanuman question

Hanuman is one of the most loved figures in the Ramayana, so even a glimpse of Sunny Deol in the role is enough to send a theatre into cheering. The source report says the Kishkindha Kand, the chapter of Valmiki’s Ramayana that brings Hanuman into the story, has been reserved for Part II. That means Deol’s full-fledged Hanuman entry is not expected in Ramayana: Rise of Legend.

A production source told India Today that the makers have kept the entire Hanuman appearance under wraps. “There could be a little something to really make audiences get up from their seats and start whistling and cheering,” the source said.

What Part I actually covers

Instead of Hanuman’s full arc, the first film is built around the early stretch of the epic. The story will follow:

• Rama and Sita’s marriage
• Their journey into the forest with Lakshman
• The rise of Ravana’s reign
• Goddess Sita’s abduction

That is a lot of emotional ground for one film, and it sets up why Hanuman’s eventual arrival matters. The first part is about establishing the stakes and the central trio; the second part is where the Kishkindha chapter can bring Hanuman in properly.

Why the Hanuman tease matters

Most Indian viewers know the Ramayana by heart, so the responsibility on director Nitesh Tiwari is bigger than spectacle. The makers have described the film as “our truth, our history.” For fans, Hanuman is not just another character: he is counted among the Chiranjeevis, the eight immortals in Hindu scriptures. His arrival is a payoff the audience has been waiting for since the first casting announcements.

Sunny Deol has already started shooting for Part II, which lines up neatly with the idea that his character’s real screen time is still ahead. If the first film offers only a teaser, the makers are clearly betting that anticipation can carry into the next instalment.

The cast around the secret

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, with Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dashrath, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjeeva and Adinath Kothare as Bharat. That ensemble alone makes the film an event, but Hanuman’s hidden presence is the talking point that may push undecided viewers over the line.

Should you book for the surprise?

If you are strict about spoilers, book an early show, watch the film fresh and avoid further casting chatter. If you are still deciding, the possibility of a concealed Hanuman moment is a fair reason to be curious—not a guarantee of a full-blown role.

At the very least, the release-week conversation now has an extra edge. Audiences will be watching for what the trailers have chosen not to show just as much as what they have revealed.

Source: India Today