The highly anticipated trailer for the film Ramayana, which is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, was released during Brahma Muhurat (around 4am) on July 30, and since then, it has become one of the most trending conversations on social media platforms. While everyone has been talking about Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Yash as Ravana and the incredible background music by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, there is something else that people are unexpectedly talking about. Many pointed out that Lara Dutta who plays Queen Kaikeyi, wife of King Dashrath and step-mother of Lord Rama, seems to be wearing a border saree which is giving modern vibes.
Internet remains divided over the look
This is from the scene in the trailer when Queen Kaikeyi sends Lord Rama to a 14-year exile even when King Dashrath had opposed to it. Many users on X (formerly Twitter) felt Lara Dutta's styling looked too modern for a story set in the Treta Yuga, sparking a flood of memes and debates. At the same time, several others praised her commanding screen presence and performance in the trailer. One user on X wrote, “Lara Dutta brought her own wardrobe without any alterations as per samay- kaal of Ramayana.”
Another user on X said, “Modern saree, salon styled side-combed hair... is this Treta Yuga or 2026?” Another one said, “Exactly! Styling for women is so modern, it's hilarious.” Another one wrote, “So I wasn’t the only one to be put off by this. For a moment I thought I was watching star plus.”
{{/usCountry}}Another user on X said, “Modern saree, salon styled side-combed hair... is this Treta Yuga or 2026?” Another one said, “Exactly! Styling for women is so modern, it's hilarious.” Another one wrote, “So I wasn’t the only one to be put off by this. For a moment I thought I was watching star plus.”
{{/usCountry}}Some viewers also pointed out the casting, noting that Lara Dutta is only a few years younger than Ranbir Kapoor despite playing his stepmother. One user wrote, “Lara Dutta looks younger than Ranbir Kapoor man!!! She's literally a miss universe still so gorgeous but hey patriarchy is so relevant so she's playing mother to Ranbir with just 4 years age gap .”
Not all reactions were critical, though. Several viewers appreciated Lara Dutta's presence in the trailer. One user wrote, “Lara Dutta is giving Sivagami, her performance in the trailer is the only one I liked.”
About the film
The first teaser of the movie had given a glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and was launched in April earlier this year. It was met with mixed reactions because many were unhappy with the visual effects.
The trailer of Ramayana was also premiered during Pratham Sankalp event in New Delhi on July 18 before some snippets were leaked onto the internet. It was later shown on a much larger platform during the San Diego Comic-Con 2026, when it was confirmed that Sony Pictures International will release the movie across the world.
Release details
Ramayana features Ranbir Kapoor (Lord Rama), Sai Pallavi (Goddess Sita), Yash (Ravana), Ravi Dubey, Vivek Oberoi, Saurabh Sachdeva and Rakul Preet Singh in key roles. Ramayana: Part One is set for a worldwide release on November 8 during the Diwali festive season, while the second instalment is scheduled to arrive in 2027.
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