‘Ramayana’ Teaser Hits Big In China; Chinese Audience Have THIS Issue With Ranbir Kapoor
The first glimpse of 'Ramayana' garnered views across the globe, including in India. However, questions were raised regarding its VFX.
New Delhi: Currently, Namit Malhotra’s ‘Ramayana’ is dominating social media conversations. On April 2, coinciding with Hanuman Jayanti, the filmmakers unveiled the first glimpse of their movie, featuring actor Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Ram. Upon seeing the visuals in the teaser, many viewers couldn’t stop singing its praises. However, there were also some who began trolling Namit Malhotra, the creator behind this *Ramayana* adaptation.
The first glimpse of ‘Ramayana’ garnered views across the globe, including in India. However, questions were raised regarding its VFX. Some Indian users felt that certain scenes appeared to have been generated using AI. Nevertheless, viewers around the world who watched it generally appreciated the teaser. Notably, many users from China have described the ‘Ramayana’ teaser as magnificent.
How was ‘Ramayana’ teaser received in China?
On the social media platform Reddit, comments from Chinese users have gone viral; in these comments, they draw comparisons between ‘Ramayana’ and the Hollywood epic ‘The Lord of the Rings’. They have stated that the visuals showcased in the teaser are truly spectacular, finding this initial glimpse to be both impressive and epic. However, there are also some among them who have raised questions regarding the decision to present ‘Ramayana’ in a Westernized style.
Sharing comments made by Chinese viewers on Reddit, one user criticized the Indian audience for questioning the ‘Ramayana’ teaser. They wrote, “Here is the Chinese audience’s reaction to the ‘Ramayana’ teaser. This is the fundamental difference between them and us. They are praising it—despite possessing the world’s largest cinema market—while we are hating on it.”
What did the Chinese public say about Ranbir’s casting?
Amidst these posts, one Chinese user also commented specifically on Ranbir Kapoor’s casting. They remarked that the role would have been a better fit for SRJ—that is, Saurabh Raaj Jain. Surprisingly, this sentiment was not expressed by just a single user; there were numerous comments indicating a desire to see Saurabh Raaj Jain portray the character of Ram in this *Ramayana* adaptation.
Saurabh Raaj Jain enjoys significant popularity among Chinese audiences because two of his television series— ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Mahadev’ — are widely acclaimed and famous in China. In both of these serials, the actor portrayed the role of Lord Krishna—a portrayal for which he remains beloved to this day. Consequently, audiences in China, too, wish to see him in this film instead of Ranbir. However, they have not raised any doubts regarding Ranbir’s acting abilities; this is merely a personal wish that they have expressed through social media.
Apart from Ranbir, the film ‘Ramayana’ will also feature a star-studded cast including Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Yash, Sunny Deol, and Arun Govil. The project is being produced on a budget of ₹4,000 crore and will be released in two parts. The first installment of the film is scheduled to arrive this year during Diwali, while the second part will be released on Diwali next year. The film has been directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
