Did you spot Raghav Juyal as Ravana's son Meghnad in ‘Ramayana’? Actor reveals director's brief

Raghav Juyal may have had only a brief appearance in Nitesh Tiwari's ‘Ramayana: Part 1’, but the actor is set to play a much bigger role in the sequel. He has been introduced as Meghnad, also known as Indrajit, the eldest son of Ravana and one of the most formidable warriors in the epic. As the story moves towards the Battle of Lanka in ‘Ramayana: Part 2’, his character is expected to take centre stage, particularly through his legendary confrontation with Lakshman.

Juyal has now opened up about playing the powerful warrior and revealed the specific instructions he received from Tiwari. In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, the actor spoke about the director's vision for Meghnad, including the intensity he wanted him to convey through his eyes.

“I can’t reveal much about Meghnad just yet, but I am extremely happy and excited to be playing him in Part 2. How I am approaching the character and interpreting his different facets, is something I would like to keep between Nitesh (Tiwari) Sir and me for now. It is a very personal process, and I wouldn’t want to reveal too much before the film reaches the audience,” Juyal said.

Who is Meghnad in ‘Ramayana’?

Meghnad, also known as Indrajit, is Ravana's eldest son and the crown prince of Lanka. He is regarded as one of the most powerful warriors in the epic, with exceptional skills in warfare and the ability to use supernatural and illusory powers, known as ‘mayavi shaktiyan’.

His role becomes particularly significant during the war between Rama's forces and Ravana's army. One of the defining episodes involving Meghnad is his battle with Lakshman, during which he strikes the latter and leaves him unconscious. This eventually leads to Hanuman's journey in search of the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshman's life.

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Juyal said Tiwari wanted him to portray Meghnad as a warrior whose power was almost comparable to Ravana's. The director also wanted the character's mastery of illusion to be reflected in the actor's expressions and screen presence.
What did Nitesh Tiwari tell Raghav Juyal about playing Meghnad?
Recalling the director's brief, Juyal said Tiwari was particular about the kind of intensity he wanted him to bring to the role. The instructions went beyond portraying Meghnad as a powerful warrior, with special emphasis on conveying his ‘mayavi’ abilities through his eyes.

“Nitesh Sir’s brief was that Meghnad is an extremely powerful ‘yodha’ (warrior), almost as powerful as Ravana himself. He was the one who brought the war to a standstill. He also struck Lakshman, leaving him unconscious and eventually leading to the need for Sanjeevani. Meghnad is also the master of ‘mayavi shaktiyan’, so Nitesh Sir specifically wanted me to bring that power alive through my eyes. He wanted a certain glint, an almost evil intensity and fire in my eyes,” he said.

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Interestingly, Juyal also pointed out that the director's instructions were already visible in his brief appearance in the first instalment.

“If you notice my glimpse in Part 1, there is a certain intensity in my eyes that he had specifically asked me to bring out,” he added.

Raghav Juyal's bigger role in ‘Ramayana: Part 2’

While the first film offered audiences a glimpse of Juyal as Ravana's son, the sequel is expected to explore the character in greater detail as the narrative moves into the war in Lanka. His confrontation with Lakshman is among the significant episodes of the epic and could be one of the major sequences in the film.

For Juyal, portraying Meghnad comes with the challenge of bringing a familiar mythological figure to life while offering his own interpretation of the warrior. Although he is keeping details of his performance under wraps, his comments offer an early insight into how Tiwari wants the character to be presented on screen.

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‘Ramayana’, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, is being directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The two-part film adaptation follows the epic story of Rama and Ravana, with the second instalment moving into the climactic war in Lanka.