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Ever since director Nitesh Tiwari’s magnum opus Ramayana: Part 1 exploded onto the big screen, post-theater discussions have been dominated by one fierce debate: Which scene truly defines the soul and visual spectacle of this cinematic epic? The audiences have unanimously described one scene as the grandest – Jatayu and Ravana’s fight! But this mythological epic starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey, and Yash is much more than this one scene, which is the most talked-about visual spectacle from the 3-hour-15-minute film!
Some films you watch, and some films you argue about. Ramayana: Part 1 has become the second kind. Days after its release, my timeline, my office, and even my family WhatsApp group are divided over one question: which scene is the best? It’s easy to see why. The film runs 195 minutes, and that’s a lot of room for goosebumps. From Ayodhya’s quiet heartbreak to Lanka’s thunderous grandeur, Nitesh Tiwari has packed the film with epic moments that stay with you long after the credits roll.
I decided to rank the top 5 scenes that impressed me as an audience. I didn’t want to rank them on instinct alone, so I decided to watch it again, this time keeping a notebook ready. And I’m sure about one thing: this wasn’t an easy list. The film comes alive whenever it reaches for imaginative ways to portray iconic moments. So here is my list of the top 5 scenes, ranked!
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SPOILERS AHEAD! However, before you proceed, this article has major spoilers and if you haven’t watched the film, please do not read this piece further!
Scene 5. Jatayu’s Fight, Fury & Funeral!
I know many of you will say Jatayu’s fight with Ravana should be the winner of this list! But I have my own pick, and I keep this at number 5. Voiced with immense emotional gravity by Anupam Kher, the celestial bird Jatayu engages Ravana’s gold-embellished Pushpaka Vimana in a high-stakes sky battle to save Devi Sita. Visually, it is a triumph of Indian CGI. The sequence took years of VFX refinement to execute, culminating in a tear-jerking final scene where Lord Ram performs Jatayu’s last rites. While it is an incredible action-emotional set-piece, it relies heavily on technical spectacle. Moreover, when Jatayu finally breathes his last, saying, ‘Hey Ram’ – the moment should have been the heartbreak of this decade. But it lacked that emotional depth a bit there! Moreover, when Ravana uproots one of his claws, the moment goes much unnoticed – a moment that should have been beaming with his ego! The technicality part is 10/10, but the emotions are probably 8 or 8.5!
Scene 4: Rama’s Heartbreaking Farewell to Kaikeyi
Before stepping out into the 14-year forest exile, Lord Ram (Ranbir Kapoor) visits Queen Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta) to seek her blessings, completely devoid of resentment or anger. The scene is a pure performance bliss. Ranbir Kapoor’s subtle eyes and absolute divinity clash against Lara Dutta’s tearful yet cold, guilt-ridden, and manipulated silence. It grounds Nitesh Tiwari’s grand royal canvas in raw, devastating human grief. In the moment when Ram tells his Chhoti Maa, “Main jab waapas aaunga, to phir se aapke haath ka pehla nivaala mujhe hi milna chahiye.” Kaikeyi’s embarrassment and Ram’s warmth in that moment win!
Scene 3: Sai Pallavi Crossing the Lakshman Rekha
Left alone in Panchavati after Maricha’s deceptive cry for help, Sita (Sai Pallavi) steps across the glowing protective threshold drawn by Lakshman (Ravie Dubey) to offer alms to a disguised sage. It is one of the most tense scenes in the film! But Sita’s brilliance in checking the sage’s knowledge to see if he is not someone in disguise makes you feel helpless! Her confidence and belief that is about to get shattered is one of the most tense scenes in the film! Her devoted, fearless walk towards disguised Ravana builds a brilliant helplessness right before Ravana sheds his disguise.
Scene 2: Lord Ram & His Dilemma As A Human Being
Sitting beside the river late at night in the forest, after Sita’s abduction, Lord Ram breaks down his internal conflict while conversing with Lakshman, questioning why divinity must be tested through human suffering and duty. Nitesh Tiwari’s smartest scriptwriting choice! Instead of treating Lord Ram merely as an unshakeable deity, he explores the profound human weight of his sacrifices. Ranbir delivers a quiet masterclass in acting during this philosophical monologue. This is also where you see the film’s biggest strength: it treats Ram as an avatar and a person at the same time.
Scene 1: Yash’s Dashanan & The Ten-Head Split (The Undisputed Ace!)
After Shurpanakha’s insult by Lakshman, Ravana (Yash) is deciding whether he should take on Ram! As his ego, ambition, and dark wisdom reach a crescendo, the screen makes you dive into his head, as he psychologically splits into ten different heads speaking to him with their 10 different negative traits, each head representing a unique voice, ego, and dark intellect!
The scene is absolutely electrifying! Rather than giving audiences cheap, cartoonish extra heads placed side-by-side, Tiwari and DNEG re-imagined Dashanan as ten echoing internal personalities roaring in unison. The heads are ten arguments inside one man, and Yash plays every one of them.
Yash brings such sheer physical dominance, terrifying star power, and raw intensity that the scene instantly elevates Ramayana: Part 1 into legendary territory. It isn’t just VFX, it is pure cinematic magic!
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