Rs 4,000 crore 'scam'? Netizens slam Namit Malhotra's 'Ramayana' teaser for poor VFX & AI-like visuals

The long-awaited reveal of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama in Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana has finally taken place through a series of grand events across the country on April 2, 2026. However, despite the staggering Rs 4,000 crore budget, the response to the Lord Rama first look has been received with a mixed response.

While some fans were excited, major sects called the look 'average' and said it lacks the 'soul' and 'wow factor' the story demands. Some also labelled the VFX and Ranbir’s performance as merely 'sub-par'. Here’s a quick breakdown of what people are saying on social media.

“VFX is never a replacement for Practical Sets. It's supposed to be an addition working in-sync, together. Not an Alternative,” said a user on X.

Meanwhile, social media has been flooded with comparisons with some even unfavourably linking the visuals to Adipurush, while others have gone as far as to call the massive production costs unjustified, given the initial footage.

There’s even a heated debate online with some people claiming it feels too much like Adipurush and questioning where all that budget actually went.

A few eagle-eyed netizens have already started playing detective, pointing out every tiny flaw they spotted in the first-look teaser. From the VFX to the costume details, social media is full of people breaking down the footage frame-by-frame to highlight what they think didn't quite work.

“I don’t see why CGI was needed for these scenes when they could’ve been shot beautifully in natural locations in the country itself. SS Rajamouli is going all the way to Antarctica to film some parts to make it look realistic..... and you couldn’t even shoot the vanvas portions in real jungle when the country has plenty of such suitable locations,” said a user.

“For a film as big as #Ramayana, the teaser is underwhelming. VFX feels inconsistent and at times like generic AI work. A few shots of #RanbirKapoor stand out, but the overall impact is missing. Needs serious improvement,” wrote critic Ravi Gupta.

“Today is Hanuman Jayanti. Ideally, we should’ve gotten a glimpse of Hanuman along with Rama,” said another.

“Dear Bollywood, Please Don’t Touch Ramayana. You call it truth and our history right in the title. Then how do you justify visuals that feel heavily inspired by The Lord of the Rings?,” said a user.

“Rama moving in a thunderstorm without any movement of hair and clothes in the teaser of #RamayanaWeak Detailing by Namit Malhotra!,” said a user.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra is also facing heat with the Ramayana casting. While he was recently celebrated for 'acing' the casting in Dhurandhar, the reaction to Lord Rama’s reveal has been much colder.

The makers need to take these responses seriously and use them to push the project even further. Since everyone is so excited for this movie, the pressure is on to get it right. By fixing the current issues and focusing on high-quality VFX, they can still turn this into the massive win that fans are hoping for.

About Ramayana

Inspired by the ancient epic Ramayana, the film revolves around the story of Rama and his journey as a prince of Ayodhya, his exile and his battle with Ravana.

The film also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The music for the film is composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman.

The first part of Ramayana is set to release in theatres during Diwali 2026, while the second part is expected to release in Diwali 2027.