Naman Shrestha
Based on the ancient Hindu epic poem ‘Ramayana’ by Valmiki, ‘Ramayana: Rise of A Legend’ is a Hindi-language mythological drama movie helmed by Nitesh Tiwari. The first of a two-part film series, it follows the early life of a young prince named Rama and the beginning of his married life with Sita. As the heir to the kingdom of Ayodhya enters a 14-year exile in the Dandaka Forest with his devoted wife and his loyal brother, Lakshmana, the trio faces a series of trials and tribulations.
Soon, more complications arise when the powerful monarch of Lanka — Ravana — abducts Sita by luring her out into the woods by manifesting a golden deer. The abduction of his wife leads Rama to embark on a dangerous journey, full of perils, to Lanka, supported by Lakshmana and others. Some of Bollywood’s biggest names lead the cast of the Indian action-adventure film, including Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey, and Vivek Oberoi. The intertwined tale of Rama and Ravana unfolds across different settings, including Ayodhya, the Dandaka Forest, and Lanka, marking distinct stages in the protagonist’s life.
Ramayana: Rise of A Legend Filming Locations
‘Ramayana: Rise of A Legend’ was shot entirely in India, particularly in Mumbai, under the working title ‘God Power.’ According to reports, filming for the Ranbir Kapoor starrer was scheduled to commence in March 2024, but due to delays in costume and production design, principal photography finally got underway in early April 2024. During the initial stages of the shoot, set pictures got leaked on social media, after which a strict no-phone policy was imposed on the set. After more than a year, filming concluded in early July 2025.
Mumbai, India
Although a significant portion of ‘Ramayana: Rise of A Legend’ is set in the real-life Indian city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, all the pivotal sequences were reportedly lensed in the capital city of Maharashtra — Mumbai. Dubbed the City of Dreams and the center of Bollywood, it is home to Film City, which is the primary production location for the epic film. Established in 1977, it is officially known as Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari and located in the Goregaon East suburb, adjacent to the Aarey Colony and Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Home to 16 sound stages of varying sizes, Film City also consists of more than 42 backlots and outdoor locations, including a Police Station, a Temple, Lakes, Ghats, and more.
With the help of the amenities and studio space at the film studio complex, the filming unit built an extensive Ayodhya set, where many important scenes involving Rama were taped. They also constructed other sets, including the Gurukul, using huge pillars and other palace-like structures. The nearby wooded areas were also seemingly utilized by the makers of ‘Ramayana: Rise of A Legend’ to depict the Dandaka Forest. Besides the Nitesh Tiwari directorial, Mumbai has hosted the production of numerous other movies, such as ’12th Fail,’ ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ ‘Being Cyrus,’ ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ and ‘Gully Boy.’
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