Media365
Ramayana trailer is creating a heavy buzz on the internet, with many praising the first look of Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi playing the titular characters. However, you may have blinked and missed Vivek Oberoi’s appearance in the film. He was shown fighting with Yash’s Ravana. If you did catch his cameo, you may be curious about his character and how it connects to Ravana. It appears that director Nitesh Tiwari is not only focusing on the main storyline but also exploring the subplots, providing background information about the characters involved.
In Ramayana, Vivek plays the role of Vidyutjihva, looking unrecognisable beneath a heavy beard, crown and armour. For the unversed, Vidyutjihva was Shurpanakha’s husband, whose fate becomes a turning point in Ravana’s journey. Though the trailer offers a glimpse, it seems the film will show a full-fledged sequence between Ravana and Vidyutjihva.
Vidyutjihva was an Asura prince belonging to the Kalkeya clan, whose name translates to lightning-tongued. He secretly married Shurpanakha against the wishes of Ravana, who despised rival Danava factions. As per Hindu texts, this enraged Ravana, and he waged a war against Vidyutjihva’s army and killed him in a battle. Ravana was about to kill Surpanakha too, but Ravana’s wife Mandodari saved her. Ravana’s brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana also appealed to him to spare Surpanakha’s life.
Mandodari asked Shurpanakha to roam and search for another husband. Shurpanakha then split her time between Lanka and the woods of Southern India, where she met exiled prince Lord Rama.
Produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana has remained one of the most talked-about Indian film projects since its announcement. Planned as a two-part saga, the film is inspired by the ancient epic Ramayana and follows the journey of Lord Rama, believed to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu, from his life as the prince of Ayodhya and his exile to his battle against Ravana.
The film also stars Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi and Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha. Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled to release in theatres during Diwali 2026.
