Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with director Nitesh Tiwari for Ramayana.

In this interview, Tiwari discusses how emotions drive Ramayana ​​​​​​while the spectacle enhances, not replaces, its moral heart.

He also talks about remaining faithful to Valmiki’s work, yet taking a “leap of faith” where possible, and talks about the epic scale VFX and Oscar-winning composers A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer, filing for IMAX, and more.

To capture the power of Ramayana, India’s award-winning director Nitesh Tiwari says it isn’t just the unbelievable visuals and filming for IMAX that bring this epic to life on screen, but capturing the triumphant story at its core, one celebrated by over a billion people. “There are over 300 versions of Rama in India,” Tiwari tells Collider’s Steve Weintraub at a special preview, “but as a creator, you are very well aware of certain dos and don’ts.” In other words, the filmmaker isn’t worried. In regard to Lord Rama’s beloved tale, portrayed in the film by Ranbir Kapoor, Tiwari promises audiences, “Whenever you are not supposed to take any creativity, we have not taken any creativity, but wherever you can take a leap of faith, we have gone ahead and done that.” From producer Namit Malhotra and screenwriter Shridhar Raghavan, Ramayana is a two-part event that follows Lord Vishnu, reborn as Rama, into exile as his life is upended by destiny. Unaware of his true purpose, Rama is set on a path toward a universe-altering collision with Ravana (Yash), the immortal demon king, in a battle that could determine the fates of gods and mortals alike. Don’t miss the full interview in the video above, or the transcript below, where Tiwari discusses what to expect from Ramayana Parts 1 and 2, from balancing the visual spectacle with the emotional aspects, to offering the world a whole new look at Lanka and Ayodhya in the largest feature he’s directed yet.
‘Ramayana’ Brings This Epic to Screen Without Losing Its Soul

“At the heart, it’s always the emotions.”

A still from Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor.World of Ramayana

COLLIDER: A lot of people who are watching this are watching in America, and they aren’t actually familiar with the characters and with this story. What do you want to tell people in America about Ramayana and these larger-than-life characters? NITESH TIWARI: Ramayana is going to take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions in a very engaging and in a very interesting manner, which is going to be moving as well as overwhelming. Along with this, you’re going to be treated with some absolutely spectacular visual stuff, and, on top of that, a few very, very valuable life lessons. So, there’s a lot that’s going to come towards the audience, and I’m quite sure that it’s going to be quite an overwhelming experience and a very, very wholesome entertainment for them. One of the things that I’m so curious about is the way you’re going to balance these massive spectacle scenes, the action that audiences around the world want to see, with the small character moments of Rama interacting with people or family. Can you talk about how you’re balancing the spectacle with the intimate? TIWARI: See, at the heart, it’s always the emotions. Ramayana is the story about morals, about principles, about relationships, about people, and that’s what’s going to remain at the core. What the visual effects and what the spectacle is going to do is it’s going to make it look even more beautiful, even more presentable, even more engaging, so that the audience can see the same story, which they have seen in the past, in a completely new light. That is the reason why we have gone ahead with such a large-scale visual presentation, to show Lanka in a light in which no one has ever seen before, to show Ayodhya in a light in which people have not seen before. So, those are the things which we are keeping in mind to engage them, with our great visuals, but at the heart, it always remains a story which is very emotional. If you don’t care about the characters, nothing else matters. TIWARI: Yeah. That’s been a big learning in my career, that if people can connect with your emotions, then it all falls in place.

A still from Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor.World of Ramayana

How do you balance the practical sets with the Volume technology or with the blue screens and the green screens? How much did you want to make sure was built and there for the actors to interact with? TIWARI: We have done extensive work and prep work before we went on to the set. Even if we were shooting green screen, everyone from the actor to the technician to the AD team, everybody knew exactly what we were going to be shooting. The DP team knew exactly what they were going to be filming because all the previs, pre-visualization, was all done beforehand. We just went in absolutely fully prepared to do all the work, and I think that is something which came in pretty handy in handling the shoot. It’s been a very challenging work because we haven’t really done this kind of work in the past, but a lot of previs, which the team did before going on to the set, a lot of storyboarding, and a lot of in-camera usage also really helped us in getting there. This is obviously the biggest thing you’ve ever helmed and the biggest project that’s coming out of India. What have you learned along the way that has surprised you? Because this is your first time, I believe, working with such massive visual effects and just such a massive production. TIWARI: I can’t count my blessings. There’s a lot of learning which has come in the way. My biggest learning has been the way VFX is shaping the storytelling. It’s giving wings and power, and it’s becoming the wind beneath those wings for the directors. I was told by Namit [Malhotra], “You do not worry about anything. You just figure out the way you want to tell the story. I’ll make it happen.” And that is the kind of power, that is the kind of freedom that the technology has given to the directors. All they need to do is think and it can be done. It’s a really great place to be in.
‘Ramayana’ Lives or Dies by Emotion, Not Spectacle

Tiwari discusses representing Ravana’s many aspects, “keeping Valmiki’s Rama,” and the emotional scene he can’t wait for audiences to experience.

A still from Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor.World of Ramayana

How are you approaching the character of Ravana, played by Yash? Is he being portrayed as a traditional villain, or are you exploring the tragic complexity of his intellect and devotion? TIWARI: Ravana had so many aspects to his life. He was a great warrior. He was an accomplished musician, a scholar, a benevolent king. So much more. A great Shiva devotee. So there was so much more to him than just being one black character. Now, why it’s very important for us to showcase all these bits, all these aspects of Ravana, is because there is a very important lesson which is hiding in them. You can have all these great qualities, but if you are governed by vengeance and if you are driven by ego, then you know what the end result is going to be. So, this is a great lesson which is hiding out there. You are known for making characters feel deeply human and relatable. In a story about divinity, how do you balance the god aspect of Rama with the man who experiences exile, grief, and doubt? TIWARI: We are keeping Valmiki’s Rama as our base. Lord Rama didn’t really know that he was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, but the way we are telling the story, we are letting the audience know that. There are certain key characters in the movies who are aware of this divine aspect of Lord Rama, while Lord Rama himself is unaware of the real power which he holds. So, as the story unfolds, the audience is getting the validation for believing in him, and Ram is discovering himself as he goes along the journey. What scene are you most excited for audiences to see? Is there one scene that you have been working on in pre-production, or whatever it may be, that you just cannot wait for people to see? TIWARI: It’s a very tough question to ask a director because for a director, every scene is his favorite scene because otherwise it will not be there in the movie. Having said that, one scene I am really looking forward to watching in the theater, along with the audience, just to see if I have managed to capture those emotions correctly or not, is when Lord Ram leaves for exile. It’s a very emotional moment. The whole city’s out there, not wanting him to leave, crying along with him. I think it’s a moment which is closest to me. It’s something that gets me emotional every time I see it, and I really hope that it will move the audience the way it is intended to do. Something that I learned today about your movie is that you have Guy Norris working on it, who is a fantastic second unit director. Can you talk about how you’ve been collaborating with Guy and what he is bringing to the film in terms of helping with action? TIWARI: Guy is a very accomplished action director, and he has choreographed a few sequences for us. Again, it goes back to the prep work. I think a lot of things, probably everything, have boiled down to how intensively we have prepped for it. Action is no exception for it. We, again, went with the intention of briefing the previs guys with what exactly we want to achieve, what we want the audience to experience out of this particular action piece, and then we made previs according to that. Then, when we sat and discussed with Guy, our objective was to make him add value to the things which we had already visualized, and then to figure out with him, “How exactly are we going to achieve this?” So, it was just a very collaborative effort, and the results are going to be there for everyone to see. For people who don’t realize, Guy has photographed some iconic action scenes over the decades in Hollywood. He really does amazing work. It’s great that he’s working with you. TIWARI: This one is going to be no exception. After seeing the footage, I am not worried.
‘Ramayana’ “Takes a Leap of Faith”

But the director promises the team is aware of the “dos and don’ts.”

A still from Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor.World of Ramayana

Every Indian has an internal version of the Ramayana. How do you navigate the pressure of meeting a billion different expectations while staying true to your own directorial voice?

TIWARI: You very aptly put it. There are over 300 versions of Rama in India, but as a creator, you are very well aware of certain dos and don’ts. You can go wrong, and we have stuck to that. There are certain dos, and there are certain don’ts, and we have stuck to them. Whenever you are not supposed to take any creativity, we have not taken any creativity, but wherever you can take a leap of faith, we have gone ahead and done that. That is the balance we have struck. I myself am an avid follower of Ramayana, and if I am not hurting my own feelings, if I’m happy with the work that I’m doing, I’m pretty sure that a lot of the audience is going to be agreeing with me. What was your reaction when you found out that Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman were going to be collaborating together to make the music of your movie? TIWARI: It’s the most obvious answer: I couldn’t believe it. As a fan, I just cannot wait. TIWARI: It’s the kind of stuff you would never think in your life that you will be doing. It’s amazing. So, I love seeing movies in movie theaters. What is your favorite movie theater that you’ve been to? TIWARI: There are two IMAXs near my house. I mostly go to those two IMAXs to see most of the movies. But there is also one theater which I really like going to, which is right next to my house, because most of the time, in certain odd movie shows, I am the only one who’s sitting there and watching. It is like my personal home theater, so I feel like a king there. Ramayana: Part 1 opens in theaters and IMAX globally this fall, during Diwali 2026. Part 2 is currently in production and slated to debut globally during Diwali 2027.

Release Date

November 8, 2026

Director

Nitesh Tiwari

Writers

Shridhar Raghavan

Producers

Yash, Namit Malhotra