“Epics Need Bhakti, Not VFX”: Warning for Ramayana

YouTuber Pratik Borade has raised concerns about Bollywood’s upcoming Ramayana, reportedly being made on a massive ₹4000-crore budget with Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role. He questioned whether grandeur alone can bring out the essence of the epic.

Borade emphasised that “emotions (bhav) cannot be created with budget.” Citing Mahavatar Narsimha as an example, he said devotion and sincerity to scriptures evoke genuine feelings, while mere spectacle fails to move audiences.

He warned that Bollywood might distort the narrative under the guise of “creative liberty.” Possible changes, he suggested, could include portraying Hiranyakashipu with a revenge motive, equating devas and asuras morally, or altering characters like Shurpanakha and Aditi with modernised backstories.

According to Borade, even minor changes can disrupt the moral framework and mislead future generations. He stressed that epics like Ramayana must be approached with humility and bhakti, not arrogance driven by budgets and global ambitions.

Otherwise, he cautioned, the result could resemble Adipurush—visually impressive yet spiritually hollow. He urged filmmakers to balance creativity with cultural responsibility to preserve the sanctity of such timeless narratives.