Ramayana: Rise of a Legend First Reactions Are Split, and Honestly, the Split Is the Interesting Part

Everybody wants a one-word verdict on Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. Blockbuster or disappointment. Masterpiece or mess.

I don't think that's what the first reactions are telling us. I think they're telling us something more interesting.

We already covered the LA premiere reactions when they first came in. Now that the dust has settled a little, here's my read on where opinion is actually landing.

Everyone agrees on the scale

Nitesh Tiwari's film premiered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on 27 October. And the first thing almost everyone mentions is how big it is.

One viewer reached for The Lord of the Rings as a comparison. Another called the visuals, dance, music and action "colossal". With Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman on music, the ambition is obvious.

Everyone agrees on Yash

If there's one consensus, it's this. Yash's Ravana is being called the biggest highlight, "magnetic", with his introduction scenes getting special love.

And Ranbir Kapoor's Rama is getting serious respect too. One early viewer called him "sublime". Reports from the premiere say audiences cheered during Rama's big moments.

Where it splits

Here's the other side, and I think it's important.

Some viewers felt the film leans more on spectacle than on emotion. That some of the narration felt flat. That the second half drags, partly because of where Part 1 has to stop. And that the divine aura and emotional weight don't always land, even though Ranbir and Sai Pallavi are solid.

One reviewer who saw the shorter English version also wasn't sold on the music and some of the effects. Worth noting: the English cut is reportedly around 30 minutes shorter than the Indian-language version, with some songs and scenes removed. So some of these reactions may not reflect the film Indian audiences will see.

My actual take

The Ramayana isn't an action story to most of us. It's an emotional one. We grew up with it at home, on Doordarshan, in our grandparents' voices. We don't need to be told who Ravana is. We need to feel Rama's loss.

So the question for this film was never "can India make something this big?" Clearly it can. The question is whether bigness can carry devotion.

The first reactions say: mostly yes, sometimes no.

Also, a reminder: most early reactions came from fans, influencers and accounts on X at a premiere, not from full critics' reviews. The real verdict comes when it opens in theatres in the first week of November, ahead of Diwali.

I'll be first in line. Obviously.

Catch up on our breakdown of Ramayana's second trailer before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Where did Ramayana: Rise of a Legend premiere?

The film premiered on 27 October 2026 at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

What are the first reactions to Ramayana?

Early viewers praised the scale, Ranbir Kapoor's Rama and especially Yash's Ravana, while some felt the film favours spectacle over emotion and that parts of the second half drag.

Who directed Ramayana: Rise of a Legend?

Nitesh Tiwari directed the film, produced by Namit Malhotra, with music by Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman.

Who is in the cast of Ramayana?

Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana and Sunny Deol plays Hanuman.

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Vishal Waghela is the Co-Founder of AltBollywood and a proud neo-generalist who refuses to pick a lane. Film, music, memes, fashion, AI, internet subcultures: if pop culture touches it, he's already three rabbit holes deep. He writes the way he lives online, loud, emotional, a little chaotic and always honest about why culture makes us feel things. Come argue with him on Instagram at @vishal.waghe1a.