"Technically Superior": Kajal Aggarwal Opens Up on Playing Ravana's Wife Mandodari in Cinematic Saga

For generations, the sacred story of the Ramayana has been deeply etched into the spiritual and cultural fabric of billions of individuals across the globe. While the timeless narrative has seen various theatrical and television adaptations over the decades, a massive new cinematic venture is set to redefine how mythological storytelling is executed on the silver screen. Mounted on a historic, eye-watering combined budget of ₹4,000 crore ($500 million) across two distinct feature installments, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is rapidly positioning itself as a historic milestone for Indian cinema, one designed to compete directly with Hollywood’s largest intellectual properties.


The monumental scale of the production was recently brought into focus by mainstream star Kajal Aggarwal. Cast in the pivotal role of Queen Mandodari the wise, morally grounded wife of the complex antagonist Ravana Aggarwal opened up about her time on set in a comprehensive media interaction. Reflecting on the filming environment, the actress revealed that the sheer logistical and technological infrastructure powering the set feels completely alien to conventional filmmaking practices within the domestic industry.

A Uniquely Superior Cinematic Vision

Aggarwal did not hold back her praise for the visual blueprint being brought to life under Tiwari's direction.

• Unprecedented Production Values: "The experience was so different because it's a technically superior production," Aggarwal shared. "It's just something India has never witnessed before. And as actors, it's pretty much the first time that we're doing something like this."
• Preserving the Core Narrative: Despite the heavy reliance on complex, Hollywood-grade visual effects and high-end world-building, the actress emphasized that the emotional foundation remains deeply grounded, calling it "an intrinsically Indian story that is so close to our hearts."

A Star-Studded, High-Stakes Ensemble

The historic project is backed by co-producers Namit Malhotra (Prime Focus Studios) and Kannada superstar Yash (Monster Mind Creations), who has also taken on the formidable on-screen challenge of portraying the legendary king of Lanka, Ravana. The rest of the sprawling cast reads like a definitive wishlist of top Indian talent:

• Ranbir Kapoor executed a demanding double role as Lord Rama and Lord Parshurama.
• Sai Pallavi stepped into the revered role of Sita.
• Sunny Deol portraying the mighty Lord Hanuman.
• Ravi Dubey as the fiercely loyal Lakshman, with veteran actor Arun Govil playing King Dashrath.

Standing Shoulder-to-Shoulder With Hollywood Giants

The immense financial risk and creative ambition behind the project have drawn inevitable comparisons to western fantasy blockbusters. Producer Namit Malhotra addressed these parallels directly, noting that while the production values are engineered to sit comfortably shoulder-to-shoulder with legendary franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Avatar, the narrative weight of the project is vastly distinct. Malhotra proudly pointed out that the Ramayana actually precedes those modern global epics, meaning the team is tasked with delivering the monumental grand scale of a Tolkien universe while maintaining the emotional depth and character journey found in James Cameron's work.


The pressure to deliver a flawless final product is immense, especially after early teaser footage released in April generated intense online analysis, with some fans offering critical feedback regarding the visual styling and VFX choices. Demonstrating accountability to their massive target audience, the core production team has actively integrated public feedback into their ongoing post-production pipelines. With legendary maestros Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman collaborated to craft the film's musical landscape, the first chapter of this cinematic epic is firmly locked for a global theatrical release during Diwali 2026, with the concluding chapter set to take over screens during Diwali 2027.