Mahesh Bhatt admitted he couldn’t hold back tears during the exile sequence — the moment before the interval where Rama steps into the forest. He said his throat closed. Tried not to cry. Failed.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana has become more than a film — it’s a moment. The Hindi-language mythological epic, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and released on November 5, is already shaping the conversation around Indian cinema’s most ambitious projects. At its heart is Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Rama, a role that carries immense cultural weight and personal stakes.
And now, the emotional response from Mahesh Bhatt, the filmmaker and father-in-law of the lead actor, has added a layer of gravity to the film’s reception. Soni Razdan shared a candid photo from a Diwali gathering, showing Mahesh Bhatt beside Ranbir Kapoor. She captioned it: 'Mere paas Ram hai.' Then came the line that went viral: 'Jai Shri Ram.' Not a fan’s cheer.
A quiet, resonant affirmation. It wasn’t just a family photo. It was a signal. Bhatt had earlier spoken about watching the film in a theatre with young writers and filmmakers.
He said one scene, the moment before the interval where Rama is sent into exile for 14 years, left him deeply moved. 'I felt my throat close,' he admitted. 'I tried hard not to cry.' He didn’t succeed. When the lights came up, he couldn’t hide his tears.
He described the experience as one that leaves people silent, beyond praise, beyond analysis. The film’s commercial performance matches its emotional impact. According to early trade estimates reported by Sacnilk, Ramayana: Part 1 collected approximately ₹346.35 crore net in India within five days of release. On its fifth day alone, the film earned an estimated ₹107.50 crore net, a significant jump that suggests strong word-of-mouth and sustained audience interest.
The film stars Ranbir Kapoor alongside Sai Pallavi, Yash, and Ravie Dubey, and is planned as a two-part adaptation of the ancient epic. For Kapoor, this is one of the most high-profile roles of his career. And for Bhatt, who once shaped stories rooted in personal truth and moral complexity, the reaction isn’t just about performance.
It’s about legacy. The film continues to dominate conversations across Bollywood, but now, it also lives in a private moment, a man at a Diwali party, looking at his son-in-law, saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’, not as a slogan, but as a confession.
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