Mumbai: As all eyes are on how Nitesh Tiwari brings the epic ‘Ramayana’ to life, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash in lead roles, the director has revealed that Ravana will be shown as more than just a typical “black character,” offering a deeper and more layered portrayal than usual.
In an interview with Collider during the teaser launch of the film, Nitesh called the Lanka king’s tale a ‘very important lesson’.
When asked if Ravana would be shown as a ‘traditional villain’, he replied, “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.”
He further explained, “It’s very important for us to showcase all these bits, all these aspects of Ravana, because there’s a very important lesson which is hiding in there. You can have all these great qualities, but if you are governed by vengeance and if you’re driven by ego, then you know what the end result is going to be.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Nitesh said that ‘Ramayana’ is not just about grand visuals, but is deeply rooted in emotions. He also promised to present Lanka and Ayodhya in a way audiences have never seen before.
The film is produced by Namit Malhotra through his company Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.
“To reach till this moment, it has personally taken me seven years. Filmmaking is a speculative and lonely process. Every moment of these seven years, I’ve imagined this moment as to what the reaction would be when it comes out,” said Namit emotionally at the film’s teaser launch.
He added, “Today, looking at your reaction, I feel the seven years are worth those seven years. A lot of people have worked on this film. We hope we get much love from you all.”
