Jatayu Model and Grand Sets Built for Ramayana: Rise of a Legend

A 24-foot skeleton model of jatayu was constructed for the film Ramayana: Rise of a Legend to assist the cast with eye-lines and dialogue delivery. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the high-budget project features extensive hand-crafted sets and detailed production design.

The film brings classical Indian epic elements to the screen with massive investments in physical infrastructure rather than relying solely on green screens. Art director Ramesh explained that his team joined the project in February 2024, initiating construction at Prime Focus Studios in Mumbai's Film City by April of that year.

Crafting the World of Ramayana

The production featured over 150 hand-built sets, with every single structure undergoing between 10 and 15 design versions. Craftspeople manually detailed floor textures, wall motifs, and decorative elements. The Lanka set alone kept 500 to 600 workers busy concurrently, while larger crowd sequences involved up to 1,000 junior artists and dancers.

Among the standout physical builds was Ravana's throne, which required four months to complete at a cost of nearly Rs 1 crore. Shaped from a clay base into fibre, the throne was finished with a 24-carat gold leaf. Additionally, Shurpanakha's working chariot took three months to assemble and cost Rs 1.5 crore.

The Scale of Jatayu and Pushpak Vimana

To capture the scale of mythological creatures and vehicles, the art department undertook massive engineering tasks. The giant jatayu model provided crucial visual references for the actors during intense sequence shootings. Meanwhile, the 50-foot-wide Pushpak Vimana—an concept that Tiwari developed over six years—was too large for standard studio spaces and had to be manufactured in four separate sections over a period of 40 to 50 days.

Nitesh Tiwari personally reviewed every set a day prior to shooting, following thorough reviews of storyboards and concept art four days in advance. The production continues to expand its scope, with Ramesh confirming that work on the second part is already underway as the narrative develops further.

Sources: The Times of India, NDTV, The Economic Times.