30 July,2026 05:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Lara Dutta in Ramayana. Pics via YouTube
The highly anticipated trailer for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana has finally been released. Ever since the makers dropped the trailer during Brahma Muhurat at 4.15 AM on July 30, it has become one of the most talked-about topics on social media platforms. While the casting of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Yash as Ravana is dominating conversations, another character that is being widely discussed is Lara Dutta's portrayal as Queen Kaikeyi and her costume.
Lara Dutta plays Queen Kaikeyi, the wife of King Dashrath and stepmother of Lord Rama in the film. She is seen in two crucial scenes in the trailer. In one of the scenes, she is seen breaking her necklace in fury, followed by a conversation with Lord Rama, played by Ranbir Kapoor, about his 14 years of exile.
In another scene, she is seen with Manthara, the hunchbacked maid and loyal confidante of Queen Kaikeyi, who eventually poisoned her mind about Rama, sending him into exile.
However, what caught the attention of the audience was her costume. She seemed to be wearing a border saree, which many pointed out gave modern vibes.
Many users on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out that Lara Dutta's styling looked too modern for a story set in the Treta Yuga. Meanwhile, others praised her commanding screen presence and performance in the trailer.
One user on X shared her picture from the trailer and wrote, "Lara Dutta brought her own wardrobe without any alterations as per samay- kaal of Ramayana." Another user on X stated, "Modern saree, salon styled side-combed hair... is this Treta Yuga or 2026?" Another even trolled the costumes saying, "Exactly! Styling for women is so modern, it's hilarious." A user even wrote, "Lara dutta as Kaikeyi is such a disappointment, giving ekta kapoor serial vibe."
Viewers even highlighted the casting, pointing out that Lara Dutta, who plays Ranbir's step-mother, is only a few years younger than Ranbir Kapoor. One user noted, "Lara Dutta looks younger than Ranbir Kapoor man!!! She's literally a miss universe still so gorgeous but hey patriarchy is so relevant so she's playing mother to Ranbir with just 4 years age gap ."
