From Ravana’s gold-plated throne to 150 sets: The extravagant detailing behind 'Ramayana'

The scale of Nitesh Tiwari’s 'Ramayana' is not limited to its reported ₹4,000-crore budget. A considerable part of the production has gone into recreating the film’s mythical kingdoms, with elaborate sets, elaborate jewellery and props that have been painstakingly designed and built. Some of these creations have come with staggering price tags, including Ravana’s throne, which reportedly cost ₹1 crore.

In an interview with Prabhat Khabar, the film’s art director, Ramesh Andhale, spoke about the work that went into creating the imposing throne for Ravana, played by Yash. The team began with a clay model based on the initial design before moving on to a fibre structure. The finishing, however, is what sets the throne apart. Real 24-karat gold was used in the form of gold leafing to give it the grandeur befitting the ruler of Lanka. The entire process took four months to complete, with the final throne reportedly costing around ₹1 crore.

The attention to detail extends to the jewellery worn by the film's characters. Tribe Amrapali, the film's official jewellery partner, has designed nearly 4,500 pieces for its first instalment. The Jaipur-based jewellery house spent close to two years working on the collection, drawing from ancient Indian jewellery traditions, temple art and traditional craftsmanship. The brief was to ensure that the ornaments reflected not just the stature of each character but also the cultural identity of the kingdom they belonged to.

From elaborate chest ornaments and carved armlets to layered necklaces, anklets and ornate headgear, the collection covers a wide range of designs. While some pieces were crafted in gold, others received gold plating. Several ornaments worn by Yash are reportedly made of real gold.

Ravana's jewellery, in particular, was designed around his devotion to Lord Shiva. Serpent motifs and a palette dominated by deep blue, black and green were incorporated into his various looks. The designers created between 104 and 130 individual jewellery pieces across 13 looks for the character. One of the most challenging creations was a handcrafted chest plate, which required special inner lining to ensure Yash could wear it for extended periods without discomfort. Depending on the look, the jewellery could weigh between six and seven kilograms.

The production's scale is equally evident in its set construction. More than 150 sets were built at Prime Focus Studios in Mumbai's Film City. According to Andhale, each set went through 10 to 15 rounds of modifications or reconstruction before the team settled on its final design.
Even a prop that appears briefly on screen demanded a substantial investment. Shurpanakha's chariot, despite featuring in just one scene, reportedly cost ₹1.5 crore and took three months to build.

The figures offer a glimpse into the effort behind bringing the epic to the screen, where even a throne or a chariot that occupies only a few minutes of screen time has required months of work and a sizeable production budget.