Ramayana Part 2: 60 per cent filmed, here's what remains before 2028 release

Cinematographer Pankaj Kumar has revealed that about 60 per cent of Ramayana Part 2 has been shot. However, extensive visual effects and motion-capture work remains as director Nitesh Tiwari and his team prepare to bring Hanuman, the vanar sena and the epic’s major battles to the screen.The sequel, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, is planned on a larger scale than the first instalment.

Initially expected to release in 2027, the film has been pushed to 2028 to give the team more time to complete its technical and post-production work.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Kumar said that although a significant portion of the sequel had been filmed, considerable work was still pending.“We have already shot about 60 per cent of Part 2. A lot of VFX work, a lot of motion-capture work is left because the second part is going to be more grand than the first part.

It has a lot more CG characters, like Hanuman and the whole vanar sena. A lot more details need to be worked on,” he said.

The second instalment will require detailed computer-generated imagery for Lord Hanuman and the vanar sena. Motion capture will also be used to place the characters convincingly within the film’s fantasy setting.

The team will have to create an army of digital characters while maintaining visual consistency across the film.Why the forests have a fantastical lookThe visual treatment of Ramayana, including its forests, trees and natural surroundings, has drawn attention for its fantastical appearance. Kumar said the team had never intended to recreate a real forest.

Instead, it wanted to build an enhanced world suited to the scale and imagination of the epic. “See, if we shot Ramayana in a real jungle, the world would look very real, but maybe that’s not what we’re looking for. We want our world to look more enhanced, better than the real forest.

For the forests that Ram and Lakshman are walking in to fight demons, realistic trees in the jungle may not give us that larger-than-life experience, with giant monsters attacking and our characters swinging from one tree to the other. Where is realism in that?

There is no realism in that. You are giving a fantasy world to the audience.

So why be a stickler for realistic-looking leaves or branches? It’s just a different medium of expressing yourself,” he said.The approach is intended to give the story’s demons, divine powers and large battles a distinct visual language rather than recreate everyday landscapes.Release pushed to 2028Ramayana was planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation, with the second instalment initially expected in 2027.

Producer Namit Malhotra has since confirmed that it will now arrive in 2028.Explaining the delay in an interview with E! News, Malhotra said, “That extra year is what I genuinely believe we need to do justice for a film of this size.”The additional time will allow the team to work on the sequel’s extensive visual effects and other technical requirements.

Its larger scale and greater number of computer-generated characters will make post-production particularly demanding.The cast of RamayanaDirected by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Part One stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman, while Sunny Deol portrays Lord Hanuman.The supporting cast includes Arun Govil as King Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha.Vivek Oberoi plays Vidyutjihva, Faisal Malik essays the role of Kumbhkarna, Harish Uthaman portrays Vibhishana and Kunal Kapoor plays Lord Indra.

Anupam Kher lends his voice to Jatayu.The sequel is expected to explore the events leading to the battle between Rama and Ravana. Meghnad, also known as Indrajit and the son of Ravana, will have a significant role.

Raghav Juyal has been cast as the character, whose appearance was revealed in a post-credit scene in the first instalment.- Ends