A demon king, a formidable warrior and one of Lord Shiva's most devoted followers, Ravana is a character whose larger-than-life presence demands an equally grand appearance on screen. Bringing him to life in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana was no easy task. Actor Yash had to wear costumes weighing as much as 33 kg to portray the mythological king.
In a recent interaction with India Today, costume stylist and designer Saniya Sardhariya has revealed details about the actor's elaborate look. She spoke about designing Yash's outfit, the difficulties posed by the heavy costumes and prosthetics, and the actor's involvement in the creative process.
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She also recalled how Yash kept the crew entertained despite the physical discomfort and long shooting hours.
Ravana's Costumes Weighed Up to 33 Kg, Crown Was 1.8 kg
Saniya revealed that most of Yash's outfits, including the jewellery, weighed between 16 kg and 20 kg. She said, “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 was one of the biggest challenges. Saniya shared that the team created several mock 3D versions before working backwards to reduce its weight without changing the design.
She told the website, “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 weight was not the only problem. The crown, chest plate and structures on Yash's shoulders also restricted his movement.
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Yash's Fun Moments On Set
Despite the physical discomfort and long hours, Yash found a way to amuse those around him. Saniya recalled how the sharp elements on his crown, shoulder pads and armbands became part of an on-set joke.
Saniya shared, “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.”
“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.
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How Yash helped design Ravana's look
Further in the conversation, Saniya also revealed that Yash did not simply wear what has been designed for him, he examined and suggested changed based on how he planned to move during a scene or how each element of the costume can contribute to 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.”
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All About Ramayana: Rise of a Legend
Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend delves into Ravana's backstory, setting up the tale till his abduction of Sita after a fight with Jatayu. It also shows Ram's childhood and upbringing, his marriage to Sita, the circumstances of his 14-year exile, and his vow to bring Sita back from Ravana.
The mythological saga features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash in the villainous role of Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. The lineup also includes Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Sheeba Chaddha and Adinath Kothare.
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