Veteran actor Hema Malini has joined the growing list of film personalities praising Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, and her note is notable for where it begins: low expectations.
Malini watched the film in a theatre and wrote on Instagram on 10 November that she had gone in with “least expectations” because the epic’s story is so widely known. She said she was “pleasantly surprised” by the presentation and the special effects, which she described as “mind-blowing” and leaving her “breathless with anticipation.” She also wrote that the “apt casting of the protagonists” and the audience’s response helped transport viewers to another period.
Her phrasing matters. Many retellings are judged against memory and devotion before they are judged as cinema. By starting with low expectations, Malini framed her praise as a response to the film’s execution rather than its mythology.
The casting at the centre of the praise
The film’s casting has been one of the most debated parts of the project. Ramayana: Rise of a Legend stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, with Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana. Nitesh Tiwari directs, and Namit Malhotra and Yash produce.
Badshah had earlier credited casting director Mukesh Chhabra, calling the casting “insanely on-point” and singling out Lara and Ravi Dubey as master strokes. Malini’s note adds another voice to that specific praise, rather than only to the film’s scale.
Why this matters for a two-part retelling
The film is the first part of a two-part retelling of the Ramayana. Part one arrived in theatres on 5 November 2026; part two is slated for 2028. That gap means casting, visual effects and tone have to do long-term work: audiences who trust the first instalment will return for the second.
Malini’s emphasis on technical innovations is significant here. She wrote that “the use of the latest technical innovations made all the difference” and called it “a completely unique experience for the Indian audience indeed.” That is a craft judgement, not just a devotional one.
- Hema Malini: “pleasantly surprised” by presentation and special effects.
- Badshah: credited Mukesh Chhabra for “insanely on-point casting”.
- SS Rajamouli, Madhur Bhandarkar and Ram Gopal Varma: also spoke highly of the film, as reported by The Times of India.
What to watch next
For Hindi cinema, a two-part retelling asks audiences to stay invested across years. The 2028 sequel date gives the industry time to see whether the first part’s reception translates into sustained audience trust. If it does, this Ramayana will become a reference point for how familiar epics can be repackaged at scale.
Source: The Times of India
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