Ramayana early reviews: Ranbir's Lord Rama called pure, Yash's Ravana a standout

The first reviews of Ramayana: The Rise of a Legend are in, and viewers have praised Ranbir Kapoor's portrayal of Lord Rama as pure and Yash's Ravana as a standout. Following the film's Los Angeles premiere, several viewers shared their reviews on Letterboxd, highlighting the performances, emotional moments, music and visual effects, with many giving the mythological epic five stars.The film stars Ranbir as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the mythological epic was screened at the David Geffen Theatre at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.One viewer who gave the film a five-star rating wrote, "Just can't describe the feeling it carries , the purity of Rama is absolute beauty of this film , fight sequence feel fresh . You will have a fresh feel after watching it."Another viewer praised the filmmakers' approach to the story, writing, "one of the best movie in recent times, most impactful thing about movie was the intent of the makers .. they stayed true to it's core, and emotions , music, vfx everything was world class. exited for part 2." A third review highlighted the film's cinematic experience and the performances of its lead actors. "Pure Cinematic experience Post credit scene has Hanuman Ji but not clearly face visible Ranbir as Ram did a good work Yash dominated," the viewer wrote.International viewers praise Ramayana's music and performancesThe film also made an impression on a viewer who said they had never watched an Indian film before. Giving it four-and-a-half stars, the reviewer described being moved to tears by the story and its music. “I’ve never watched an Indian movie before, so I went in completely blind with just a basic ahh briefing that it was about indian mythos I was blown away LOL, I genuinely ended up in tears by the end,” the review read.The viewer praised the soundtrack for feeling “so divine” and said the characters came across as real and layered. Ranbir's portrayal of Rama was singled out for the subtle way the character expresses his emotions, while the reviewer also praised the portrayal of Ravana, describing some of his moments as disturbing and uncomfortable.The viewer added that the film's climax left them cheering and gave them goosebumps. They also expressed an interest in watching it again with their family.Visual effects emerged as another talking point in the early reactions. One reviewer, who said they would share more details after the review embargo ended, praised DNEG's work on the film and its potential to compete with major international visual effects studios.“Lots of things to talk about this film. But will share the details after the embargo ends. But one thing is for sure DNEG has shown their potential to compete or I should say surpass ILM and WetaFX at certain fields. And the director and actors are hidden gem to world cinema. Time for a family treat in theatres,” the review read.These early reactions offer a first glimpse of how the film has been received by audiences at its Los Angeles screening. However, the reviews shared so far represent individual viewers' opinions and do not necessarily reflect the response of a wider audience. Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi attend LA premiereThe global premiere brought the film's lead cast together on the red carpet in Los Angeles. Ranbir, who plays Lord Rama, arrived in a shimmery silver bandhgala and stopped to greet fans and pose for photographs.Yash, who portrays Ravana, attended the event with his wife, former actor Radhika Pandit. He wore an all-black outfit, accessorised with an ornate Ravana brooch and black sunglasses. Radhika opted for a green-and-gold silk saree.Sai Pallavi, who plays Goddess Sita, wore a red zardozi saree with intricate embroidery. She kept her look understated, with loose hair and minimal make-up.Videos from the event also showed the screening hall filled with Indian and international attendees ahead of the first screening.Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is set to release in India on November 5. It is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. Further audience reactions and reviews are expected to emerge as more viewers watch the film.- Ends