Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: Purported leaked scene goes viral, sparks debate over VFX and authenticity

Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana has once again become the centre of online discussion after a purported leaked scene from the film surfaced on social media. The clip, which has been widely shared across fan pages, appears to show Ranbir as Lord Ram aiming a bow and arrow at a mystical creature before releasing a powerful attack that ends in a massive explosion. The video has divided social media users, with many debating whether it is an actual scene from the film, AI-generated content, or footage shown at CinemaCon. The makers have not commented on the authenticity of the clip.

Online Glimpse Receives Mixed Response

The promotional video received mixed reactions on social media. Many viewers felt the visual effects (VFX) did not meet expectations, especially since the film's VFX are being handled by Academy Award-winning studio DNEG, led by producer Namit Malhotra. The criticism quickly became a major talking point online.

Creator Claims Better Visuals Were Shown at Special Event

Content creator Dhruv Parikshit, who attended a special creators' event organised by the filmmakers, later shared an interesting claim. In an Instagram comment that was later deleted but widely circulated on Reddit, he said the online glimpse featured unfinished VFX.

Welcome to the #Ramayana Trailer Month: JULYTrailer 🎬Posters 🏹Interviews🎙️Global Recognition for Indian Cinema and a leaked trailer snippet of the TRAILER from cinema con pic.twitter.com/BhoDSdp3Mi

— Ramayana Fandom (@ramayanafandom) July 1, 2026

According to Dhruv, the footage shown at the event looked far more impressive. He compared the visuals to Avatar and praised the film's immersive world and character designs. He said he was especially impressed by the appearances of Parshurama, Indra, and Airavata.

'Nerfed' Version Released for Marketing?

Dhruv also claimed that he spoke with one of the film's VFX artists during the event. According to him, the artist said the team had deliberately uploaded a toned-down version of the Rama glimpse despite having better-quality shots ready.

He further claimed that the makers intentionally released the incomplete version to spark discussions, debates, and criticism on social media. The idea, he suggested, was that the online buzz would serve as free marketing for the film. However, these claims have not been officially confirmed by the makers.

Yash Says VFX Are Still Being Improved

Earlier, actor Yash, who plays Ravana and is also one of the film's producers, addressed the VFX discussion during an interview. He acknowledged that the visual effects are still a work in progress and expressed confidence that the final product would look much better.

Yash also revealed that he has watched a nearly completed version of the film. However, he said the team is continuing to refine the visuals and improve every detail until the final stages of production to deliver a top-quality cinematic experience.

Release Date and Cast

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash under Prime Focus Studios and Monster Mind Creations. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta, Ravi Dubey, Arun Govil, and Vivek Oberoi. The epic will be released in two parts, with Ramayana: Part 1 scheduled to hit theatres during Diwali 2026, followed by Part 2 on Diwali 2027.

- PTC PUNJABI