Nov 08, 2026 4:00pm IST
‘Ramayana Part 2’: Raghav Juyal On Meghnad’s Battle With Lakshman And Nitesh Tiwari’s Brief: ‘He Wanted A Certain Glint, An Almost Evil Intensity And Fire In My Eyes’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Raghav Juyal may have had only a brief appearance as Meghnad in “Ramayana: Part 1”, but the glimpse was enough to introduce one of the epic’s most formidable warriors. The actor is set to have a significantly larger role in Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana: Part 2”, where the story moves towards the war between Rama’s forces and Ravana’s army in Lanka. Among the most anticipated confrontations is Meghnad’s legendary battle with Lakshman, a pivotal episode that also sets the stage for Hanuman’s search for the Sanjeevani herb.
In an exclusive conversation with Variety India, Juyal opens up about stepping into the role of Ravana’s son, while remaining guarded about the finer details of his performance. He describes Meghnad as one of the most powerful characters in the epic and says that his confrontation with Lakshman is an aspect audiences already know well. However, it is the director’s brief for the character, particularly his mastery of ‘mayavi shaktiyan’ (illusive powers) that offers an early insight into the approach behind Juyal’s portrayal.
“I can’t reveal much about Meghnad just yet, but I am extremely happy and excited to be playing him in Part 2. How I am approaching the character and interpreting his different facets, is something I would like to keep between Nitesh (Tiwari) Sir and me for now. It is a very personal process, and I wouldn’t want to reveal too much before the film reaches the audience,” he tells Variety India.
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Meghnad, also known as Indrajit, is Ravana’s eldest son and the crown prince of Lanka. A formidable warrior, he is known in the epic for his mastery of warfare and illusion, as well as his ability to turn the tide of battle through his supernatural powers. His confrontation with Lakshman is among the defining episodes of the war, with the latter eventually striking him down.
Juyal says Tiwari was particular about the kind of intensity he wanted the actor to bring to the character. The director’s brief was not limited to establishing Meghnad as a powerful warrior; he also wanted his ‘mayavi’ abilities to register through Juyal’s eyes.
“Nitesh Sir’s brief was that Meghnad is an extremely powerful ‘yodha’ (warrior), almost as powerful as Ravana himself. He was the one who brought the war to a standstill. He also struck Lakshman, leaving him unconscious and eventually leading to the need for Sanjeevani. Meghnad is also the master of ‘mayavi shaktiyan,’ so Nitesh Sir specifically wanted me to bring that power alive through my eyes. He wanted a certain glint, an almost evil intensity and fire in my eyes. If you notice my glimpse in Part 1, there is a certain intensity in my eyes that he had specifically asked me to bring out,” he says.
The brief appearance in the first film was not simply an introduction to another member of Ravana’s family. It was an early visual cue to the warrior audiences will see come into his own in the sequel. Juyal’s reference to the director’s instructions also suggests that Meghnad’s powers will be conveyed through more than the scale of the action, with his gaze and screen presence playing an important part in establishing the character.
With “Ramayana: Part 2” set to take the story into the Battle of Lanka, Meghnad’s role will bring one of the epic’s most consequential confrontations to the forefront. For Juyal, the challenge is to inhabit a character whose legacy is already deeply familiar to audiences, while keeping his own interpretation under wraps until the film arrives.
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