Ramayana trailer: Vivek Oberoi's role explained; here's how his chracter is related to Yash's Ravana

Vivek Oberoi in Ramayana. Pic via YouTube

Amid much anticipation and buzz, the makers have finally released the trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's magnum opus Ramayana. While Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash are stealing the spotlight in the first trailer of Ramayana, the 4-minute-long glimpse also introduces several other significant characters from the epic. One such character is Vivek Oberoi, who makes a brief yet significant appearance in the trailer, sparking curiosity around his portrayal as Vidyutjihva.

Vivek Oberoi's role in Ramayana

In Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan, Vivek Oberoi plays Vidyutjihva, a demon prince in the mythological epic. He was the prince of the Danava (demon) clan. He was married to Ravana's sister, Shurpanakha, played by Rakul Preet Singh in the upcoming magnum opus.

His unrecognisable yet noteworthy appearance in the official trailer shows him wearing a huge gold crown. His appearance comes during an intense face-off and fight sequence with Yash's character, Ravana.

Who was Vidyutjihva?

In the grand epic of Ramayana, Vidyutjihva is the Danava prince of the Kalkeya Danava clan (or Daitya) clan. His name roughly translates to lightning-tongued.

When Ravana's sister Shurpanakha grew up, she secretly married the prince, Vidyutjihva. Ravana got enraged with his sister Shurpanakha for marrying a Danava, since the Danavas were the mortal enemies of Rakshasas. Furious Ravana decided to kill Shurpanakha and Vidyutjihva.

As a result, he waged a war against Vidyutjihva's Danava army and killed him in a battle. Just when Ravana was about to kill Surpanakha too, his wife Mandodari saved her. Later, Ravana and Surpanakha's brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana also pleaded to Ravana to spare Surpanakha's life.

Mandodari then asked her sister-in-law Surpanakha to roam around in the forests and search for another husband. As a result, Surpanakha then spent her time between her home, Lanka and the woods of Southern India. She sometimes even lived with her forest-dwelling Asura relatives, Khara and Dushana, on Ravana's orders.

Once, while roaming around in the Forest of Panchavati, she crossed paths with Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, who were serving their exile in the forest. She was smitten by Rama's youthful looks and desired him. However, Lord Rama rejected her advances, telling her that he was faithful to his wife Sita. She then approached Lakshman, who also rejected her. Infuriated, she attacked Sita, which led to Lakshman cutting off her nose.