Ramayana Trailer Gets Mixed Reactions: Praise for the Cast, But Social Media Raises Questions

The most anticipated trailer in Indian cinema history has finally dropped — and the internet is divided. Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana have generated enormous buzz, crossing 100 million views in just 24 hours. But alongside the praise, a wave of criticism has emerged on social media — and it is getting louder.

From fans weeping at the visuals to critics calling it India's answer to Hollywood epics, the Ramayana trailer has sparked a cultural moment unlike anything Bollywood has seen in years. The two-minute-forty-second clip, released simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, crashed multiple streaming platforms within minutes of going live. Yet for every celebratory post, there is a pointed question — and two of them are dominating the conversation.

Ranbir Kapoor as Ram: A Nation Holds Its Breath

The most debated casting in recent memory has finally been seen in action — and the verdict from fans is overwhelmingly positive. Ranbir Kapoor's Ram is serene, powerful, and deeply human. The trailer opens with a close-up of his face in meditation, the camera slowly pulling back to reveal the grandeur of Ayodhya. The internet, which had spent months questioning the casting, went silent — and then erupted.

"I was sceptical. I'm not anymore," wrote one user on X, a post that was retweeted over 200,000 times within hours. Fan edits of Ranbir's Ram began trending globally within the first hour of the trailer's release.

Yash as Ravana: The Internet's New Obsession

If Ranbir silenced the doubters, Yash obliterated them. The KGF star's Ravana is terrifying, magnetic, and unlike any portrayal of the demon king seen on screen. His entry — a single shot of him seated on a throne of skulls, eyes burning gold — lasted approximately four seconds in the trailer. It became the most-shared clip of the day.

"Yash as Ravana is the casting of the decade," declared one prominent film critic. The hashtag #YashAsRavana trended at number one globally for over six hours.

Sai Pallavi as Sita: Grace and Strength

Sai Pallavi's Sita is the emotional anchor of the trailer. Her scenes — particularly a devastating moment in the Ashoka Vatika — drew the most emotional responses online. Multiple fan accounts reported crying at the trailer, and the phrase "Sai Pallavi was born for this role" trended across platforms.

The Scale: India's Most Expensive Film Ever

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is reportedly made on a budget of over ₹600 crore — making it the most expensive Indian film ever produced. The trailer's visual effects, reportedly handled by a team of over 3,000 VFX artists across India, the US, and New Zealand, drew widespread praise. Comparisons to Avatar and The Lord of the Rings were immediate and frequent.

The film is set to release in two parts. Part 1 arrives Diwali 2026. Part 2 is scheduled for Diwali 2027.

100 Million Views in 24 Hours: The Numbers

The Ramayana trailer crossed 100 million views across YouTube, Instagram, and X within 24 hours of release — a record for any Indian film trailer. It surpassed the previous record held by Pathaan (72 million in 24 hours) by a significant margin. On YouTube alone, the trailer garnered over 65 million views, making it the most-viewed Indian trailer in the platform's history.

The Criticism: "Too Much VFX, Not Enough Soul"

Not everyone is celebrating. A significant section of social media has pushed back hard on the trailer's visual approach, arguing that the film leans too heavily on computer-generated imagery at the expense of emotional grounding. "It looks like a video game cutscene, not a film," wrote one widely-shared post on X. "Every single frame is drowning in VFX. Where is the rawness? Where is the humanity?"

The criticism has found traction beyond casual viewers. Several prominent film commentators have noted that the trailer's relentless visual spectacle — while technically impressive — leaves little room to breathe. "Ramayana is one of the most intimate epics ever written," wrote one critic. "This trailer makes it feel like a theme park ride. I hope the film itself is different." The hashtag #TooMuchVFX trended briefly on X within hours of the trailer dropping.

Others have pointed to specific sequences — a battle scene involving thousands of CGI soldiers, and a sweeping aerial shot of Lanka — as examples of effects work that feels unfinished or overly synthetic. "The VFX budget is clearly enormous, but bigger is not always better," noted one popular film account with over a million followers.

"Where Is Hanuman?" — The Question Everyone Is Asking

The single most discussed absence in the trailer is Hanuman. The beloved deity — arguably the most emotionally resonant character in the entire Ramayana — does not appear anywhere in the two-minute-forty-second clip. Not a glimpse, not a silhouette, not even a passing reference. And fans have noticed.

"I watched the trailer three times looking for Hanuman. He is not there. Not once," wrote one user, a post that accumulated over 400,000 likes. The hashtag #WhereIsHanuman began trending within the first two hours of the trailer's release and remained in the top five trending topics in India for the rest of the day.

The omission has sparked two schools of thought. One camp believes the makers are deliberately holding back Hanuman's reveal — keeping the character's look and casting a closely guarded secret to maximise impact closer to release. "They know what they're doing. Hanuman is the ace up their sleeve," argued one popular film account. The other camp is less charitable, with some fans expressing genuine concern that the character may have been reduced in scope or sidelined in the narrative. "If Hanuman is not central to this Ramayana, what exactly are we watching?" asked one widely-shared post.

The production has so far offered no comment on the casting or screen time of Hanuman. Given the intensity of the online conversation, that silence is unlikely to last.

The Ramayana trailer is available on YouTube. Part 1 is set for a Diwali 2026 release.