Ahead of its Diwali 2026 release, director Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana: Part One” has landed in controversy after the Shri Ramlila Mahasangh demanded a pre-release screening of the film for representatives of the organisation, Ramlila committees and Hindu groups, saying it wants to ensure that it does not contain content that could hurt religious sentiments.
In a letter to the director and the film’s producers, Shri Ramlila Mahasangh president Arjun Kumar has requested a special preview before the film’s release in India and overseas. He also warned of protests outside cinema halls if its request was not accepted.
Drawing parallels with the backlash against the 2023 movie “Adipurush”, Kumar said the earlier adaptation faced criticism from members of the Sanatan community and those associated with traditional Ramlila performances over its depiction of Lanka, Raavan and other elements from the epic.
“We had even organised a promotional event for ‘Adipurush’ at the Red Fort. But the movie contained objectionable content. In our view, it presented a distorted image of the Ramayana, which is why such a mega-budget film failed at the box office,” Kumar said.
He said the Mahasangh was willing to promote “Ramayana: Part One” and even organise free screenings for devotees, if it faithfully represented the epic.
“Our only request is that the filmmakers show the movie to representatives of Hindu organisations before its release so that any objectionable content, if any, can be addressed,” he said.
Kumar also questioned the portrayal of Lord Ram in the promotional material released so far.
“The trailer appears underwhelming. Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Ram seems weak and lacks the gravitas associated with the character. We hope the complete film reflects the dignity and values of the character,” he said.
The Mahasangh claimed it had received information suggesting that certain scenes in the movie could hurt the sentiments of Hindus in India and abroad. It said a special screening would provide an opportunity to flag concerns before the film reaches audiences.
“If any concerns arise during the screening, we would request the filmmakers to consider making the necessary corrections. We are not the certifying authority, but we will certainly raise objections if we believe the film distorts the scriptures,” Kumar said.
“Ramayana: Part One” stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Raavan and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.
