The trailer for Ramayana: Part One has earned widespread appreciation for its spectacular visuals, Yash's commanding portrayal of Ravana and Ranbir Kapoor's calm depiction of Lord Ram. However, amid the praise, one question has dominated social media discussions: Why isn't Sunny Deol's Lord Hanuman featured in the trailer?
For many viewers, the absence of Lord Hanuman—one of the most revered characters in the Ramayana—came as a surprise. However, there appears to be a logical reason behind the decision.
Unlike earlier adaptations, director Nitesh Tiwari is telling the epic across two films. The first instalment is expected to establish the world of Ayodhya, Lord Ram's exile, Sita's abduction and Ravana's emergence as the primary antagonist. Within this framework, the filmmakers have introduced the story's central characters—Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Ravana—while seemingly saving one of the biggest reveals for later.
In the original epic, Lord Hanuman enters the narrative only after Lord Ram's exile and Sita's abduction. Although he later becomes one of the key figures in the battle against Ravana, his role grows significantly during the latter half of the story. Holding back his full introduction until the second film—or teasing him only towards the climax of the first—would therefore align with the chronology of the Ramayana.
The strategy also makes sense from a cinematic perspective.
Lord Hanuman is far more than just another character in the epic. He commands an enormous devotional following, with millions of devotees across the world. Revealing Sunny Deol's look as Lord Hanuman is likely to be a major event on its own, and the filmmakers may have chosen not to overshadow the introductions of Lord Ram, Ravana and the film's other central characters in a single trailer.
Many fans have reached a similar conclusion.
While one user on X wrote, "The #Ramayan trailer is 4 mins and 10 secs, and yet they didn't have time to show the main character Hanuman," several others felt the omission was intentional. Another user commented, "Sunny Deol as Hanuman Ji should be the climax," suggesting that the character's arrival could serve as an "epic cliffhanger" leading into the sequel.
The theory also gains support from Sunny Deol's own remarks. Speaking at a special trailer screening in Delhi earlier this month, the actor revealed that he had only recently begun shooting his portions.
"I have done only a little work on the film so far. I still have a long way to go. I would like to thank Waheguruji for giving me the opportunity to play Hanuman Ji," he said.
Describing the role as a tremendous responsibility, Deol added, "It is not easy to portray him, but it is going to be a great experience because he is innocent, strong and powerful."
Director Nitesh Tiwari has also indicated that Ramayana: Part One will conclude with a cliffhanger. Speaking at an event in San Diego, he said, "Where we leave in Part One is something which is, you can call it a cliffhanger, something which will make people want to watch Part Two the moment they leave the theatre."
Although Tiwari did not reveal the nature of that cliffhanger, his comments have further fuelled speculation that Lord Hanuman's introduction could be one of the film's biggest surprises.
For now, the makers have neither unveiled Sunny Deol's look nor explained why he was left out of the trailer. However, if the film follows the epic's chronology, audiences may get a brief glimpse of Hanuman near the end of Ramayana: Part One, with the character taking centre stage in the sequel.
Ramayana: Part One stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. The ensemble cast also features Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Arun Govil and Sheeba Chaddha. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on November 8 this year, while Ramayana: Part Two is slated for release during Diwali 2027.
