Where is Hanuman? Sunny Deol’s Trailer Exclusion Leaves ‘Ramayana’ Fans Shocked

“Ramayana” trailer dropped this morning, and as expected, it has many big moments from the epic tale. The 14-year vanvas, the kidnapping of Sita, the heroic death of Jatayu, Bharat’s unbreakable brotherhood by keeping Lord Rama’s sandals on the throne, and the battle scenes in Lanka. Kannada superstar Yash as Ravan has come across as the main character in the trailer along with Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Dasharatha, Kaikeyi, Surpanakha, Kumbhakaran and Kaikesi. 

The “Ramayana” trailer is facing backlash for several reasons - prioritizing visual spectacle over emotional depth, the larger-than-life portrayal of Ravana, and the missing defining, high-impact moment for Lord Ram that never materializes. However, the most significant 'oversight' is the complete absence of Hanuman. This omission has deeply disappointed and agitated both fans of the epic and of Sunny Deol, who has been cast as Pawan Putra in this Nitesh Tiwari epic.  

Abhimanyu Singh, founder and CEO, Contiloe Entertainment, who has made shows like “Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman,” tells Variety India, “I really missed him in the trailer. Otherwise, the background music is good, and Ranbir Kapoor looks absolutely divine as Lord Rama on screen.” 

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Actor Danish Akhtar Saifi, who made his debut on Indian TV playing Lord Hanuman in “Siya Ke Ram,” was overwhelmed after seeing the trailer. He plays Lord Hanuman in the theatrical play, “Humare Ram,” that is headlined by Ashutosh Rana. He says, “Lord Hanuman and ‘Siya Ke Ram’ built my career as an actor. The trailer of ‘Ramayana’ is a visual treat. Yes, I did miss Bajrangbali. The excitement would have amplified manifold if there was a single glimpse of Sunny Deol in that iconic role. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt came to watch our play, ‘Humare Ram,’ it was a memorable moment for us. Also, I loved Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. In just two frames, without a single dialogue, he exuded such power and charisma.” 

Saifi adds, “I am praying that this film makes a global impact. ‘Ramayan’ is a story that reflects the emotional fabric of India in its most virtuous form. I wish the team the best.” 

Actor Amit Pachori, who has been a part of many mythological shows like “Jai Hanuman,” “Ramayan,” “Vishnu Puran,” and “Shri Krishna,” also feels that Sunny Deol’s presence would have elevated the trailer to a whole new level. He opines, “I loved the visuals of the trailer. I have somewhat mixed feelings about the pairing of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Maa Sita. Yash is looking quite formidable as Raavan. Honestly, if they had ended the trailer with a single glimpse of Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, it would have left a tremendous impact. Nevertheless, I foresee great box-office success for the film.” Pachori was seen as Angada in Sanjay Khan’s “Jai Hanuman.” 

He quips, “I can understand that the makers are saving it for the second part of the film. Also, that look will need more technical work to come across as spectacular.” 

While the filmmakers are clearly holding Hanuman back as a strategic trump card for later promotional tool — or the movie itself — the internet is entirely unforgiving of his absence. The comments sections across platforms have morphed into a wave of frustration.

Viewers argue that while keeping high-value assets under wraps is standard industry practice, excluding the epic's most beloved emotional anchor crosses the line into a marketing blunder. For a fandom heavily invested in Sunny Deol's powerhouse casting, the decision to leave him out of the initial footage has turned what should have been a celebration into a point of active agitation.