Actor Yash stole the show by singing a popular Tamil song composed by AR Rahman at the music launch of the upcoming epic film Ramayana – Rise of a Legend at the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam.
The event, organised by Amazon Music, celebrated the music of the film produced by Namit Malhotra and directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, Ravi Dubey appears as Lakshmana and Yash takes on the role of Ravana. The film’s music has been composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman.
Rahman presented the film’s music through a live performance featuring several musicians. The event concluded with the launch of the Tamil music logo for the film on Amazon Music.
Speaking at the event, director Nitesh Tiwari said considerable effort had gone into making the Tamil version emotionally authentic. Recalling his attempts to learn Tamil, he said his mentor, filmmaker R Balki, had advised him nearly 30 years ago to learn the language to appreciate its cinema better. His Tamil wife had also helped him understand films when subtitles were unavailable.
Tiwari recalled watching Michael Madana Kama Rajan and said his wife had laughed throughout the film without needing to translate it for him. He added that he was still trying to learn Tamil and urged audiences to watch the film in the language, saying its dialogues had been adapted with sensitivity to Tamil culture and emotions.
AR Rahman said the different versions of the Ramayana he had encountered, including those he watched in school and stage productions, had been a learning experience. The epic, he said, offered lessons on how people should treat their parents and spouses, apart from helping them understand a wide range of human emotions.
Rahman also recalled receiving a message from a person named Satish in New York in 2014, predicting that he would one day compose music for the Ramayana. He said the prediction had now come true. Drawing inspiration from devotional traditions in both North and South India, including hymns and classical musical forms, he said he had approached the project as a creative journey.
Sai Pallavi said the team had spent nearly 10 years working to bring Ramayana to a global standard, with her own association with the project spanning three years. She said participating in promotional events and experiencing the affection of audiences had made her feel fortunate to have been chosen to play Sita.
She praised the Tamil version, saying its dialogues felt as though they had been written for a Tamil film. The film is being prepared for release in multiple languages, with plans extending beyond India.
Sai Pallavi also praised Ranbir Kapoor’s interest in Tamil cinema, saying he watched Tamil releases regularly and kept himself updated on films across the industry. She cited his appreciation of Amaran and other Tamil films as examples of his enthusiasm for South Indian cinema. She thanked Tamil audiences for extending their affection to actors regardless of the language in which they work.
Yash, meanwhile, wished the audience for Vijayadasami and Ayudha Pooja and expressed happiness at working to AR Rahman’s music. He said Rahman’s songs had helped him learn Hindi, recalling how he had watched Lagaan and Rangeela. He also remembered dancing to a song from Rahman’s Gentleman during his childhood in his village.
To the delight of the audience, Yash sang the line, “Pakkathu seatula paati ukkantha, take it easy policy,” prompting loud applause.
Explaining his decision to play Ravana, Yash said some people had questioned why he chose a character often viewed negatively. He argued that actors should be willing to portray a wide range of roles and said Ravana’s association with the Shiva Tandava had also attracted him to the character.
Yash added that Tamil audiences did not accept anything without scrutiny and that actors had a responsibility to entertain them by taking on diverse roles in return for their affection.