'Mahayoddha Rama 3D' Movie Review: Kunal Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill & Mouni Roy's animated film based on Valmiki's Ramayana is a perfect Diwali treat

Star cast: Kunal Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mouni Roy, Gulshan Grover, Mukesh Rishi

Directors: Raizada Rohit, Jaysingh Vaid

This Diwali, while Bollywood’s biggest names, the trio of Khans and Akshay Kumar, skip the festive Friday, Mahayoddha Rama in 3D steps up as the season’s grand spectacle. Based on Valmiki’s Ramayana, the animated 3D feature blends mythology with modern visual storytelling, powered by stellar voice performances from Kunal Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mouni Roy, Gulshan Grover, and the late Gufi Paintal.

For the first time, fans see the ancient epic reimagined in decadent 3D, a visual and sound spectacle that brings Ramayana’s timeless tale to colourful life with contemporary zing

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The movie begins with Ravan’s brutal penance in front of Lord Brahma. When he is given the boon, he slams his hand on the ground and growls, “I want it all,” and then goes on a rampage through the three worlds. From there onwards, the old known tale unfolds of the birth of Lord Ram, killing demons, his holy marriage with Sita, his exile into the forest, and then the mythical Lanka war. Every segment retains the spirit of devotion but converges with modernity in filmmaking.

The dialogues are particularly noteworthy. The dialogue is perfectly balanced in terms of interest and freshness to keep the story having children and adults cheering for it.

The major asset of Mahayoddha Rama in 3D is its voice cast. Kunal Kapoor’s Ram is serious and believes it. Mouni Roy’s Sita is terrific in terms of grace and emotional depth. Her lines are both soothing and powerful. Lakshman, played by Jimmy Sheirgill, and Hanuman, played by Mukesh Rishi, are both powerful with their performance, but Gulshan Grover’s powerful voice as Ravan drowns all of them. His melodramatic style is well supported by the visual power of the animation and 3D effects of the film.

Mahayoddha Rama 3D provides viewers with a new and new opportunity to experience the Ramayana in a whole new way — not merely view it, but be immersed in it. The 3D and sound effects render some scenes unforgettable.

Pictorially, moments such as the loss of Tadka and the shattering of Lord Shiva’s bow during Sita’s swayamvar are among the most dramatic. The sequence in the Tadka forest, especially, is magnificent in terms of scope and emotion.

Ravan’s character faces both the most humorous and introspective segment of the movie. Each of his ten heads — played by Gulshan Grover, Ameen Sayani, Kiku Sharda, and late Sadashiv Amrapurkar, among numerous others — is in mischievous, philosophical debates, symbolising the ongoing struggle between morality and immorality in every human being.

Mahayoddha Rama 3D is a fantasy adventure that combines faith, fantasy, and technology to create a visually rich experience. It brings the age-old struggle of good over evil to life with grandeur and emotional resonance.

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

Mahayoddha Rama 3D is playing in cinemas