Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has put two of its most consequential characters in the spotlight. The team released character posters for Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi and Sheeba Chadha as Manthara, the figures whose choices begin Rama’s journey into exile.
The new faces of Ayodhya
Lara Dutta’s Kaikeyi is shown in rich traditional clothing and heavy jewellery fit for a queen of Ayodhya. Sheeba Chadha’s Manthara, in contrast, grips a staff, a nod to the character’s watchful, scheming presence. The makers underlined the pairing on social media, writing that “two wishes” would change Rama’s destiny forever and that a “cunning mind” would turn a mother’s love into a kingdom’s darkest hour.
In the epic, Kaikeyi is one of King Dashrath’s queens, and Manthara is the influence who pushes her to claim the two boons that send Rama away. The new posters show the film is taking these characters seriously rather than treating them as background royalty.
A cast that spans eras
The reveal follows the earlier announcement of Arun Govil as King Dashrath. Govil was the face of Lord Rama for a generation through the television Ramayan, and his presence links the new film to the epic’s screen history.
- Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama
- Sai Pallavi as Sita
- Yash as Ravana
- Sunny Deol as Hanuman
- Ravi Dubey as Lakshman
- Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi
- Sheeba Chadha as Manthara
- Arun Govil as King Dashrath
Prime Focus Studios, DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations are driving the production. DNEG brings eight Academy Awards in visual effects to the table, a detail that matters for a project that will live or die on its scale.
The road to release
Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled for a Diwali 2026 worldwide theatrical release. Ramayana: Part 2 is planned for Diwali 2027. The films will arrive in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with an IMAX release also planned. Sony Pictures will distribute internationally, while Dharma Productions handles the Hindi-speaking market.
For fans, each poster is now a date marker: the adaptation is revealing its pieces, and the focus on Kaikeyi and Manthara suggests an emotional, plot-driven telling of the epic.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com