Ramayana First Look Posters Out Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi and Sheeba Chadha as Manthara Set the Stage for Rama’s Destiny

The makers of Ramayana have unveiled new character posters featuring Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi and Sheeba Chadha as Manthara, offering a glimpse into two pivotal figures whose actions shape the epic’s course. The posters highlight the turning point that changes the destiny of Lord Rama and the kingdom of Ayodhya, with Kaikeyi’s two wishes and Manthara’s influential whispers setting a chain of events into motion. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the highly anticipated film is being envisioned as a two-part cinematic epic, bringing one of India’s most revered stories to the big screen on a grand scale.

Sharing the posters, the makers highlighted the crucial roles both characters play in the narrative. The caption read, “A queen. A mother. Two wishes that would betray a father’s love and change Rama’s destiny forever. A cunning mind. Whose whispers would turn a mother’s love into a kingdom’s darkest hour. Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi. Sheeba Chadha as Manthara.” The announcement places the spotlight on the decisions and influence that lead to Rama’s exile, one of the most consequential episodes in the Ramayana.

Lara Dutta appears as Queen Kaikeyi in a regal avatar, with elaborate traditional attire and jewellery reflecting her position in Ayodhya’s royal household. As one of King Dashrath’s queens and Bharata’s mother, Kaikeyi becomes central to the events that alter Rama’s future. Her two boons, sought from Dashrath, ultimately lead to Rama’s exile and place the king in a heartbreaking predicament. The character poster hints at the queen’s significance in the emotional and political upheaval that follows her demands.

Sheeba Chadha’s first look as Manthara presents a different but equally consequential presence. Seen holding her staff, the actor steps into the role of Kaikeyi’s confidante, whose words influence the queen’s decisions. Manthara’s intervention becomes the catalyst for a chain of events that transforms the royal family’s future and sends Rama away from Ayodhya. By introducing both characters together, the makers have drawn attention to the complicated relationship between personal loyalties, ambition and destiny at the heart of this chapter of the epic.

The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. With Lara Dutta and Sheeba Chadha joining the ensemble as Kaikeyi and Manthara, the cast brings together performers portraying some of the most recognisable characters from the epic. The project is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. The production aims to present the story on an expansive cinematic canvas, with a focus on bringing its characters and mythology to audiences across the world.

Ramayana is planned as a two-part release, with Part One scheduled to arrive worldwide on November 5, 2026, followed by Part Two during Diwali 2027. The films are set to release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across India, with an IMAX release also planned. Sony Pictures will handle international distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market.

With the first-look posters of Lara Dutta and Sheeba Chadha now out, the makers have offered audiences a closer look at the characters whose decisions set the epic’s central conflict in motion. As anticipation builds around the film’s scale, cast and visual presentation, the new reveals underline the importance of Kaikeyi and Manthara in the unfolding story of Rama’s destiny.

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