Bengaluru Film and Fashion Experts Debate Aesthetics of Ramayana Trailer

Bengaluru's fashion and film fraternity members have expressed mixed reactions to the visual aesthetics, costumes, and styling seen in the recently released trailer for director Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana. Featuring actors Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, and Sai Pallavi, the trailer generated debate across social media handles regarding creative freedom and cultural authenticity in reimagining the epic.

While the film's visual effects, grand scale, and world-building drew appreciation, its costumes and modernised styling faced criticism from several local creatives. Stylist and content creator Kristen John praised the overall execution, describing the costumes as rich, grand, and cohesive, while noting that mythology has been interpreted differently through art for centuries.

In contrast, fashion designer Ruchika Bhat expressed disappointment with the modern aesthetic, describing the characters as looking whitewashed rather than divine and comparing the background elements to artificial attempts at emulating Hollywood. Bhat added that the film appeared targeted at a Western audience rather than focusing on a natural depiction.

Celebrity stylist Rukmini Nitin noted that while the costumes did not match her personal imagination formed from childhood narrations, she appreciated the director's visual interpretation, scale, and elements like the pushpaka vimana. Nitin stressed that while creative reinterpretation is important, the cultural essence and dignity of the characters should never be compromised.

Director Hemanth Kumar raised reservations regarding the costumes and overall production design, stating that the filmmakers should have taken a more research-driven approach to depict the Treta Yuga. Kumar pointed out that the attire of characters Rama and Sita during their vanavas did not reflect the passage of time or the realities of forest life, missing an opportunity to move beyond past screen adaptations.

Fashion content creator Ananya Babu called the trailer majestic and visually spectacular, but noted that immediate dissection on social media has made visual experimentation harder for creators. Filmmaker Uday Brahma added that while the trailer was an improvement over the teaser, the overall landscape and world-building lacked the detail and ambience required for an epic of such scale.