Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is a stunning 1992 animated film that adapts one of India’s greatest epics, the Ramayana. Co-produced by Japan’s Yugo Sako and India’s Ram Mohan, the film masterfully blends Japanese anime techniques with Indian artistic traditions, creating a visually striking retelling of Prince Rama’s heroic journey to rescue his wife, Sita, from the demon king Ravana.
With its vivid animation, the movie showcases epic battles, divine interventions, and deep themes of duty, honor, and righteousness. The film stands out for its hand-drawn animation, which was painstakingly created with a large team of Japanese and Indian artists over five years. This cross-cultural collaboration gives the movie its unique style—mixing vibrant colors, intricate character designs, and fluid action sequences.
Though it received critical acclaim and was popular internationally, the film was never released theatrically in India until now. In a historic moment, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama will make its theatrical debut in Indian cinemas in October 2024, allowing new audiences to experience this beautiful and timeless classic on the big screen.
The film was hand-drawn using traditional 2D cel animation, a painstaking process that took over five years to complete. More than 450 artists from Japan and India collaborated to create 100,000 meticulously crafted cels. The film’s vibrant colors, intricate character designs, and fluid action sequences are a testament to the attention to detail. The Japanese anime influence is evident in the dynamic movement, especially in the battle scenes, while Indian artists ensured cultural authenticity in the portrayal of costumes, landscapes, and mythological elements.
