Bringing Ravana’s larger-than-life presence to the screen in Nitesh Tiwari’s involved more than elaborate sets and visual effects. Actor costumes were designed to reflect the mythological king’s imposing appearance, with some outfits weighing as much as 33 kg.
In an interaction with India Today, costume stylist and designer Saniya Sardhariya shared details of the work involved in creating Yash’s look, including the challenges posed by the heavy costumes, jewellery, crown and prosthetics.
She also spoke about the actor’s involvement in the creative process and how he kept the crew entertained despite the physical demands of wearing the elaborate outfits during long shooting schedules.
Sardhariya said most of Yash’s costumes, including the jewellery, weighed between 16 kg and 20 kg. Some of the more elaborate outfits, including those associated with Lanka, Ravana’s wedding and Surpanakha’s wedding, were considerably heavier.
“Most of the costumes used to weigh around 16 to 20 kg, including the jewellery. But we had a few heavy pieces, like the Ravana look associated with Lanka, his wedding costume, and the costume he wore for Surpanakha’s wedding. Those were close to 30–33 kg, if I remember correctly.”
The crown presented a separate design challenge. According to Sardhariya, the team created several mock 3D versions before working on ways to reduce its weight without compromising the intended design.
“I think the most difficult part was wearing the crown because any amount of weight on your head feels very restrictive and heavy. So, we experimented a lot with the idea. We had so many mock 3D crowns made, and we ensured that we got the design right first. Then we started reverse-engineering it to see how we could make it lighter and lighter. But I don’t think we could go any lighter than 1.8 kg. That was the best we could do, and even that felt like a lot. You don’t see that in his expressions or anything like that, but it was quite a task.”
The challenges extended beyond the crown. The chest plate and structures attached to Yash’s shoulders also affected his movement, making the costume design and fitting process particularly demanding.
Despite the weight of the costumes and the physical discomfort, Yash reportedly kept the crew entertained during filming.
Sardhariya recalled that the sharp elements incorporated into the crown, shoulder pads and armbands became part of an ongoing joke on set.
“Yash very soon discovered that this was going to be very draining. So, to entertain himself or pull our legs, he would ensure that all those sharp things we had put in our designs, whether on the crown, shoulder pads, or armbands, became everyone’s problem. If something was pricking him, he would make sure everybody around him was getting poked too.”
She also spoke about the atmosphere on the sets and how the actor handled the demands of the elaborate costumes.
“We had so much fun shooting. Here’s an actor who had to endure so much weight, and anybody would expect him to be cranky or complain about it. But he made it so much fun for us. His music game is on another level; all the dress dadas, assistants, and ADs were laughing their heads off,” she continued, as reported by India Today.
Sardhariya also revealed that Yash actively participated in the costume development process rather than simply wearing the outfits designed for him.
During fittings, trials, mock shoots and look tests, the actor would experiment with different elements and suggest changes based on the movements required for a scene and how the costume could support his performance.
She added, “Every time we do a fitting, a trial, a mock shoot or a look test, I see him experimenting with everything I have brought. Sometimes he’s giving me notes and pointers, saying that if the drape is a little longer, he could probably roll it in the air and then hold it a particular way. Or he’ll say that he needs to use a particular hand, so we have to make that part more comfortable. These are the kinds of pointers he gives me, and we bridge the gap that way.”
Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend explores Ravana’s backstory, leading up to his abduction of Sita following his confrontation with Jatayu.
The film also follows Lord Ram’s childhood and upbringing, his marriage to Sita, the circumstances surrounding his 14-year exile and his vow to bring her back from Ravana.
The mythological saga features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. The cast also includes Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Sheeba Chaddha and Adinath Kothare.
