Ramayana Ravana Poster on Janmashtami Sparks Controversy — Makers Release Ram Poster Same Evening

What Happened | क्या हुआ

In September 2026, the promotional team behind Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana released a new poster featuring Yash as Ravana on Janmashtami — the Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. The choice of timing was immediately questioned by a section of Hindu groups and devotees online.

The criticism was direct: Janmashtami is one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar. Releasing a poster of the demon king Ravana — the primary villain of the Ramayana — on this day was seen as insensitive at best and disrespectful at worst. Social media lit up with objections within hours of the poster going live.

सितंबर 2026 में रामायण की प्रचार टीम ने जन्माष्टमी पर यश के रावण का पोस्टर रिलीज़ किया। आलोचना तुरंत आई: जन्माष्टमी हिंदू पंचांग के सबसे पवित्र दिनों में से एक है। इस दिन राक्षस राज रावण का पोस्टर रिलीज़ करना असंवेदनशील माना गया।

The Response | जवाब

The Ramayana production team acted quickly. The same evening, they released a contrasting poster — this time featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram — accompanied by a message of respect for the occasion. The Ram poster was described as a gesture of balance and reverence, acknowledging the sanctity of Janmashtami.

The dual poster strategy — showing both Ravana and Ram on the same festival day — was interpreted by some as a statement about the eternal conflict between good and evil that both Ramayana and Janmashtami, in their own way, represent. Lord Krishna himself, after all, is considered an avatar of Vishnu — as is Ram.

निर्माताओं ने उसी शाम रणबीर कपूर के राम का पोस्टर रिलीज़ कर जवाब दिया। इसे एक संतुलन और सम्मान के संकेत के रूप में देखा गया। कुछ लोगों ने इसे रामायण के शाश्वत संघर्ष — अच्छाई बनाम बुराई — के प्रतीक के रूप में भी देखा।

The Shri Ramlila Mahasangh Request | श्री रामलीला महासंघ की मांग

Separately, the Shri Ramlila Mahasangh — a prominent Hindu organisation — formally wrote to the producers of Ramayana requesting a special preview screening of the film before its release. The organisation expressed concerns about the potential misrepresentation of the Ramayana epic and its characters, and asked for an opportunity to review the content.

This kind of request is not unusual for films based on religious epics in India. Films like Adipurush, Brahmastra, and others have faced similar requests and scrutiny from religious groups before release. The producers of Ramayana have not publicly commented on this specific request as of the time of writing.

श्री रामलीला महासंघ ने रिलीज़ से पहले एक विशेष प्रीव्यू स्क्रीनिंग की माँग की। यह भारत में धार्मिक महाकाव्यों पर आधारित फिल्मों के लिए असामान्य नहीं है — Adipurush और अन्य फिल्मों को भी ऐसी ही जाँच का सामना करना पड़ा था।

Why This Controversy Is Different | यह विवाद अलग क्यों है

The controversy around the Ravana poster is relatively minor in the context of the film's overall reception. But it is notable for one reason: it reveals the extraordinary level of scrutiny and emotional investment that Indian audiences have in this film.

Ramayana is not just a movie for its audience — it is sacred. People who have prayed to Ram all their lives, who have grown up watching Ramanand Sagar's television adaptation, who have performed Ramlilas in their neighbourhoods — these people are not watching this film as passive consumers. They are watching as custodians of a story they love deeply.

That scrutiny is not a threat to the film. It is, in its own way, the highest compliment the film could receive. It means the audience cares — and an audience that cares is an audience that will show up on Day 1.

यह विवाद दिखाता है कि दर्शकों का इस फिल्म में कितना भावनात्मक निवेश है। रामायण उनके लिए सिर्फ एक फिल्म नहीं है — यह पवित्र है। जो दर्शक परवाह करता है, वही Day 1 पर सिनेमाघर पहुँचता है।

What Nitesh Tiwari Has Said | नितेश तिवारी ने क्या कहा

Nitesh Tiwari has consistently spoken about the responsibility of adapting the Ramayana with respect. In multiple interviews leading up to the film's release, he has said that his team consulted scholars, religious leaders, and multiple versions of the Ramayana across languages and traditions during the writing process.

"The Ramayana belongs to everyone," Tiwari has said. "We have approached it with the humility it deserves." The controversy over the Ravana poster timing, and the team's quick response, suggests that the production is aware of the sensitivities involved — and is taking them seriously.

नितेश तिवारी ने कहा है: "रामायण सबकी है। हमने इसे उस विनम्रता के साथ अपनाया है जिसकी यह हकदार है।" रावण पोस्टर विवाद पर त्वरित प्रतिक्रिया बताती है कि टीम संवेदनशीलताओं से वाकिफ है।