Yash's Ravana steals the show, but 1 missing character dominates 'Ramayana' trailer reactions

The trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's ‘Ramayana: Part 1’ finally arrived in the early hours of Thursday, giving fans their first proper look at one of the most anticipated Indian films in recent years. Released around 4 am, the trailer quickly began trending online, with viewers sharing their reactions to the visuals, performances and scale of the mythological epic.

For the most part, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Many viewers praised the film's grand visuals, emotional storytelling and the casting of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. However, one detail has left a section of fans puzzled. Despite being a key figure in the Ramayana, Sunny Deol's Hanuman does not appear anywhere in the trailer.

Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash earn praise

The trailer takes audiences through several defining moments from the epic, including Ram and Sita's wedding, their exile, Surpanakha's encounter with the brothers, Sita's abduction and glimpses of the battle against Ravana.

Among the biggest talking points online has been Yash's portrayal of Ravana, with many fans calling his screen presence powerful and commanding. Others were equally impressed by Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, saying the pair looked convincing as Ram and Sita.

One user wrote, "Sai Pallavi... what a screen presence. Ethereal! Congratulations to the team for an outstanding trailer. Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi look absolutely convincing as Lord Ram and Maa Sita. Great chemistry. Yash as Ravana is menacing."

Another post read, "Rocking Ravana is just rocking in the Ramayana trailer. Yash brings a completely different energy, while the scenes featuring Ram create a calm and peaceful feeling."

Fans wonder why Hanuman is missing

While the trailer showcases several important characters and story beats, many viewers were surprised that Hanuman was missing altogether.

Sunny Deol, who plays the revered character in the film, does not make an appearance in the nearly two-minute trailer, prompting fans to speculate that the makers may be saving his reveal for a later promotional campaign.

Social media was soon filled with comments asking why one of the Ramayana's most beloved characters had been left out of the first trailer.

Some viewers question the visual effects

Although the trailer has received widespread appreciation, not every reaction has been positive.

A section of viewers criticised some of the computer-generated creatures shown in the trailer. One user commented, "The CG creatures look atrocious in the trailer. This movie feels aimed at a Western audience that doesn't know the Ramayana."

Despite the criticism, positive reactions have largely outweighed the negative ones, with many calling the trailer one of the most visually ambitious previews released by an Indian film in recent years.

Apart from Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, the film also stars Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Shobana, Saurabh Sachdeva and Faisal Malik in key roles.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, ‘Ramayana: Part 1’ is scheduled to release in theatres during Diwali 2026, with the second instalment arriving around Diwali 2027.

The two-part epic is reportedly being made on a budget of around ₹2,000 crore.