MUMBAI: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has praised Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, describing it as "a devotional force" rather than a devotional film. He also urged the film's team to treat its negative critics as "barking street dogs".
In a lengthy post on X on Monday, the Satya and Rangeela director shared his interpretation of the film and praised its portrayal of Lord Rama, Ravana and Jatayu.
"The #Ramayana is not a devotional film. It is a devotional force. The hero is not a blue god floating above the story. He is a man who has already seen the end of the world and still willfully chooses to walk into it. The rise is not of a kingdom. It is of a mind that challenges weakness," Varma wrote.
He particularly praised Ranbir Kapoor's portrayal of Rama, highlighting the sequence following Sita's abduction, when Rama stands alone in the empty ashram.
Describing the scene, Varma wrote that "the camera holds long enough to show that grief has already been converted into an arithmetic".
Varma also praised Yash's portrayal of Ravana, writing: "He does not play opposition. He plays the mind that has already accepted what it decided to destroy."
Anupam Kher's portrayal of Jatayu also received special mention. Referring to the sequence in which Jatayu attempts to stop Ravana despite his injuries, Varma wrote that he keeps fighting even with his wings half broken because "the mind has not yet accepted what the body is telling it".
In his concluding remarks, Varma urged the film's cast and crew not to be discouraged by negative reviews.
"Treat any and all negative critics of this film as barking street dogs against the elephantine effort you all put in to create this magnifique piece of WONDER," he wrote.
Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, was released in theatres on November 5. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Ravie Dubey, Anupam Kher, Arun Govil, Rakul Preet Singh and Lara Dutta, among others.
The film crossed the Rs 500-crore mark at the worldwide box office in three days of its release, surpassing the reported lifetime worldwide collection of Adipurush. (with inputs from media organisations)