Before Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana, revisit these iconic movies and TV adaptations
From classic television serials to animated films and modern retellings, these Ramayana adaptations have introduced the timeless epic to generations o…
1/8The wait for Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana has once again brought the timeless Indian epic into the spotlight. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. But before Ranbir Kapoor steps into the role of Lord Ram, several filmmakers and television creators have already brought different versions of Ramayana to audiences. Here are some popular Ramayana-inspired movies and serials: (Image X)
2/8Sampoorna Ramayan (1961) | It was one of the earliest and most popular Hindi films based on the epic Ramayana. Directed by Babubhai Mistry, the film starred Mahipal as Lord Rama and Anita Guha as Sita. The film covers the complete journey of Rama – from his birth and exile to Sita’s abduction by Ravana and Rama’s battle to rescue her.
3/8Ramayan (1987-88) | Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan was the first major television adaptation of the epic and remains one of the most loved shows in Indian television history. The serial featured Arun Govil as Lord Ram, Deepika Chikhalia as Sita, Sunil Lahri as Lakshman, Arvind Trivedi as Ravana and Dara Singh as Hanuman. When it aired in 1987, the show became a household favourite, with families gathering together to watch every episode.
4/8Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (1992) | It is a Japanese-Indian animated film based on the epic Ramayana. Released in 1993, the film was directed by Yugo Sako, Koichi Sasaki and Ram Mohan. The film was first screened at the International Film Festival of India in 1993 and later received a Hindi dubbed version featuring voices of popular actors like Arun Govil as Rama, Namrata Sawhney as Sita, Amrish Puri as Ravana and Shatrughan Sinha as the narrator.
5/8Siya Ke Ram (2015) | It was a Hindi mythological television series based on the epic Ramayana, which aired on Star Plus from 2015 to 2016. The series followed the life of Sita, from her childhood in Mithila to her marriage with Lord Rama, their exile, Sita’s abduction by Ravana, and the battle of Lanka. The show starred Madirakshi Mundle as Sita, Ashish Sharma as Rama, and Karthik Jayaram as Ravana.
6/8Ramayana: The Epic (2010) | It was a 2010 Indian computer-animated mythological film based on the epic Ramayana. Directed by Chetan Desai and produced by Ketan Mehta, the film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures. It featured the voices of Manoj Bajpayee as Rama, Juhi Chawla as Sita, Ashutosh Rana as Ravana and Mukesh Rishi as Hanuman.
7/8Adipurush (2023) | It was a 2023 Indian mythological film inspired by the Ramayana. Directed by Om Raut and starring Prabhas as Raghava (Rama), Kriti Sanon as Janaki (Sita), Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh (Ravana) and Sunny Singh as Lakshmana, the film retold the story with a modern visual style and extensive VFX.
8/8Shrimad Ramayan (2024) | It was a Hindi mythological television series based on the epic Ramayana, directed by Nikhil Sinha. The series follows the life of Lord Rama – from his birth, marriage with Sita, 14-year exile and Sita’s abduction by Ravana, to the battle of Lanka and the later story of Luv and Kush. The show starred Sujay Reu as Rama, Prachi Bansal as Sita, Basant Bhatt as Lakshmana, Nikitin Dheer as Ravana and Nirbhay Wadhwa as Hanuman.
Original source: https://www.cnbctv18.com/entertainment/
