Hidden details you missed in Ramayana trailer: From Kuber to Surpanakha's husband

The first trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana has finally arrived, and it is packed with details from the epic that go beyond the central conflict between Lord Ram and Raavan. Running for over four minutes, the trailer introduces Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Raavan, while quietly setting up several important events that eventually lead to Sita's abduction and the war in Lanka.While the trailer gives us a glimpse of Ayodhya, Lanka and the forest where Ram's exile unfolds, much of its story is told through characters and moments that may be easy to miss. From Raavan's conquest of the three worlds to Mareech's transformation and Jatayu's sacrifice, here is everything the trailer appears to be setting up.Here is what the trailer is actually telling you.It begins with Raavan, not RamThe trailer's first choice is significant. It doesn't open with Lord Ram. It opens with Raavan, hooded, striding past guards who ask him who he is. His answer: "Tumhara naya raja (Your new king)." This is Yash's Raavan at the height of his conquest, and the trailer takes its time establishing exactly who this man is and how he got here. In long hair, beard and torn clothing, this is Raavan returning from an intense penance - years of tapasya to please Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, after which he receives boons that makes him nearly invincible. He comes back not to rest but to conquer. Yash as Raavan in a still from Ramayana. His declaration: "Dev Lok, Prithvi Lok, Paatal Lok, teeno mein ek hi raaj hoga, Raavan raj" — is not just a boast. By this point in the story, Raavan has already defeated his half-brother Kubera, the god of wealth, and taken control of the golden city of Lanka. The trailer shows him trying to fulfil his ambition of ruling all three worlds. The Pushpak Vimana is not just a flying machineOne of the trailer's most captivating images is a massive structure moving through the sky. This is the Pushpak Vimana.The vimana (aircraft) was originally created by the divine architect Vishwakarma for Lord Brahma, who later gifted it to Kubera. When Raavan defeated Kubera, he took the vimana along with Lanka. In the Ramayana, it is described as a celestial vehicle that travels at the speed of thought and grows in size to carry whoever needs to be carried. Pushpak Vimana in a still from Ramayana. In Ramayana, the vimana therefore represents much more than a mode of transport. It reflects Raavan's enormous wealth, his power and the grandeur of Lanka. The trailer also shows Sita on the Pushpaka Vimana, hinting at the sequence that follows her abduction by Raavan.Raavan takes on Airavat Another moment that is striking in the trailer shows Raavan battling a huge, winged, multi-tusked white elephant.The creature appears to be Airavata, the vahana (divine vehicle) of Lord Indra.According to Hindu mythology, Airavata emerged during the Samudra Manthan, the cosmic churning of the ocean and became associated with Indra, the king of the Devas. Raavan attacks Airavat. The scene in the trailer appears to reference Raavan's confrontation with the forces of heaven. After receiving powerful boons, Raavan challenges the Devas and seeks to establish his dominance over the three worlds.In the Valmiki Ramayana, Airavata attacks Raavan during the battle, leaving deep wounds on him with its tusks. Raavan survives and ultimately emerges victorious. The battle is therefore another visual representation of his extraordinary strength and growing arrogance.The trailer's focus on this confrontation establishes just how powerful Raavan has become before his eventual encounter with Ram.Ranbir Kapoor's Ram arrives quietlyAfter all of Raavan's thunder, Ram's introduction looks deliberately understated. The trailer explains that whenever there is a threat to the universe, an avatar of Lord Vishnu is born to protect it. This time, Lord Vishnu is born as Ram, a human prince, not a god arriving with full divine power, but a man who must earn his victory.Ranbir Kapoor is seen on horseback, in moments with his father King Dashrath (Arun Govil, who played Ram in the original Doordarshan series and now plays his father here — a passing of the baton that is hard to miss), and then with Sita. The wedding sequence is brief and warm before the story moves swiftly to Kaikeyi's demand and his exile from Ayodhya.Sai Pallavi as Sita, and yes, she wields a weaponSai Pallavi's Sita gets relatively little screen time in the trailer, but what is there is enough. She carries the character with a stillness that suits her, and her Hindi dialogue, which had been a subject of some curiosity given that she is primarily a South Indian actor, lands naturally. Sai Pallavi as Sita. There is also a brief moment, easy to miss, where Sita is seen wielding a sword. Though easy to miss, the scene suggests the film may portray her as a more active and empowered character than she is often shown to be.The giant bird is JatayuOne of the trailer's standout moments is the introduction of Jatayu, the legendary vulture king, voiced by Anupam Kher. Unlike a brief glimpse, the trailer gives him a proper close-up, making his appearance hard to miss. His massive size and detailed design show the care that has gone into bringing the iconic character to life Jatayu in a still from Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Jatayu is an old friend of King Dashratha and a loyal ally of Lord Ram. When Raavan kidnaps Sita in the Pushpak Vimana, Jatayu bravely fights him, even though he knows he cannot win. He sacrifices his life trying to save her. His death is one of the most emotional moments in the epic and marks the point where Ram's exile turns into a mission to rescue Sita.Mareech: the man hiding behind the treeTowards the end of the trailer, actor Saurabh Sachdeva, seen hiding behind a tree in the forest, blowing air, appears briefly as Mareech. If you know the story, this scene carries a lot of weight. Saurabh Sachdeva as Mareech. Mareech is a powerful demon who possesses magical abilities. Raavan approaches him for help after deciding to abduct Sita. Mareech, who is Raavan's maternal uncle, initially warns him against it. He understands Ram's strength and knows that challenging him could eventually lead to Lanka's destruction.But Raavan threatens him, leaving him with little choice. Mareech eventually transforms himself into a beautiful golden deer and appears near Ram and Sita's hut in the forest.Sita is fascinated by the deer and asks Ram to capture it. Lakshman suspects that something is wrong, but Ram follows the deer into the forest.When Ram finally shoots Mareech, the demon uses his last breath to imitate Ram's voice and cry out for help. The trick works. Sita becomes worried and asks Lakshman to go after Ram. Once Lakshman leaves, the path is clear for Raavan to abduct Sita.This sets off one of the central chains of events in the Ramayana.Manthara and KaikeyiSheeba Chadha appears briefly alongside Lara Dutta's Kaikeyi. Chadha plays Manthara — Kaikeyi's hunchbacked maid and trusted companion, and the woman whose whispered counsel sets the Ramayana's central tragedy in motion. Sheeba Chadha and Lara Dutta in a still from Ramayana. It is Manthara who convinces Kaikeyi to use the two boons King Dashratha once promised her - to place her own son Bharat on the throne and to send Ram into exile for 14 years.Who is Shobana playing?Veteran actor and dancer Shobana makes a brief appearance as Kaikasi, Raavan's mother. Although the trailer does not reveal much about her character, Kaikasi is an important figure in Raavan's backstory. Shobana plays Kaikasi. Her presence could allow the film to explore more of Raavan's origin and his relationship with his family before he becomes the powerful ruler of Lanka.Rakul Preet Singh as SurpanakhaRakul Preet Singh plays Raavan's sister Surpanakha, who approaches Ram in the forest. Ram, devoted entirely to Sita, rejects her. The trailer then cuts to Lakshman cutting off her nose, the act of humiliation that becomes Raavan's justification for abducting Sita.Vivek Oberoi as VidyutjihvaAnother moment worth pausing on is Vivek Oberoi's brief appearance, where he is seen in a face-off with Raavan. Oberoi plays Vidyutjihva, not a name most people will immediately recognise, but his story matters. Vivek Oberoi in a still from Ramayana. Vidyutjihva was a Danava prince, a warrior from the Kalkeya clan. He and Shurpanakha were secretly married, which did not go down well with Raavan at all. In Raavan's eyes, his sister had no business marrying someone from a rival clan. The confrontation ended with Raavan killing Vidyutjihva himself.What the trailer does not show youSunny Deol plays Lord Hanuman, but there is not a single frame of him in the trailer. This was a deliberate decision . Hanuman's introduction belongs to Part 2 of the film. Given that Hanuman's arrival is Ramayana's greatest turning point, this is going to be the most-anticipated moment in the upcoming film. The music, composed by AR Rahman alongside Hans Zimmer, runs through everything and even in a four-minute trailer it announces itself. The scale of that collaboration alone is worth paying attention to when the film releases.The trailer gives you Raavan's rise. It gives you Ram's introduction. It places all the pieces — the vimana, the golden deer, the exile, the abduction — on the board without showing you how the game plays out. Which is exactly what a good trailer should do.The rest, we wait for November to find out. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana Part One releases this Diwali. Part Two follows during Diwali 2027.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Jul 31, 2026 10:04 IST