Ramayana Designers BREAK Silence On Backlash To Sai Pallavi And Lara Dutta's Creative Looks

The creative decisions made for Sai Pallavi's Sita and Lara Dutta's Kaikeyi have been defended by designers Rimple and Harpreet Narulah in response to criticism of the looks in the Ramayana movie. The remarks come days after the movie trailer raised questions about whether the looks adhered to popular interpretations of the epic.

Addressing the criticism in an interview with The Times of India, Ramayana designers Rimple and Harpreet Narulah stated that the team anticipated varying reactions to the looks in the upcoming movie.

"An epic like Ramayana has lived in our collective consciousness for generations. There will always be opinions about the casting, costumes, visual effects and what people believe is right or wrong. We were prepared for that. What has kept us grounded is our honesty towards our craft," she said. 

The Ramayana designer revealed the driving force behind the design of Sai Pallavi's Sita. "When I close my eyes and think of Goddess Sita, I don’t think about archaeological authenticity. I wanted my Goddess, the one sitting in my mandir, to look like the image that has lived in my consciousness. That was a deliberate choice."

(Image: X/@anna_ancy68933)

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Harpreet Narulah clarified that each component of the outfit has symbolic significance, in response to Lara Dutta's Kaikeyi. 

"The green in her costume represents motherhood, while the deep maroon reflects the emotional strength and darkness of the decision she has to make. She is torn between her own son and Ram. Every colour was chosen with intention. Sometimes people react too quickly before understanding the thought behind it."

(Image: X/@LaraDuttaFC)

The makers urged viewers to watch the movie before forming any opinion about Ramayana "This is our attempt to make an ancient epic speak visually to a new generation. There’s thought behind every thread. We want to appeal to viewers – don't decide before you see it. Watch it, experience it and then form your opinion."

Ramayana Trailer 

Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Rakul Preet as Surpanakha, among many other pivotal characters.

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Yash's Ravana declared himself to be the ruler of all three worlds in the first scene of the Ramayana trailer. To restore balance and safeguard the planet, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Ram as Ravana unleashed chaos. Ram, who fought demons and protected his people before maturing and marrying Sita, was then shown in the movie's long-awaited trailer.