The first chapter of the two-parter Ramayana begins, unusually, with Raavan. Relegated to the margins of Lanka, Raavan rebels, undergoes a rigorous penance to win boons from the god Brahma and wrests the kingdom for himself.
Raavan (Yash) is a ferocious warrior, an aesthete and a socialist too, ensuring that his citizens are bedecked in the same gold that he wears. A relative who misbehaves with a woman is crushed to death. This master of the dark arts also believes in fair values. The actual hero of Ramayana, despite being an avatar of the god Vishnu, has his work cut out for him.
Unlike the self-made Raavan, Ram (Ranbir Kapoor) is pre-ordained for greatness. There is no horoscope quite like his, one character exults.
Ramayana is the latest adaptation of the epic that is cherished both by observant Hindus and secular fans of a magic-heavy tale of moral uprightness. This iteration of Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, co-written by Tiwari and Sridhar Raghavan and produced by Namit Malhotra, is a sleek and sumptuous Hollywood-style spectacle. In the tradition of the classic Western hero, Ram often wonders what his true purpose is, even as he serially impresses teachers and gods alike.
Following a rousing introduction, Ramayana slows down after moving to Ayodhya. Ram wins the…
Source: Scroll.in
