13.11.2026
While the people of the internet (called Netizens in India) apparently don’t seem to realise that Rama is the hero and not Ravanna, it is apparent in the contrast between the two what the role of each is.
THE PROMISE
Rama upholds the promises of others. He upholds the promises that his father made to his stepmother by exiling himself into the forest. Rama also makes promises. He promises that he will have no other woman than Sita to her father. He also promises that he will win back Sita from Ravanna at the end of the movie. And we know that this promise is going to be fulfilled.
Rama upholds the word and honour. He stands for trust and for self-sacrifice. To uphold the promises, he pays a heavy price. He does not gain from his promises. Sita is already his wife. Going into the forest in exile is not a benefit. This is because he is altruistic and generous. He is not in things for gain.
On the other hand, Ravanna asks for a promise for a selfish reason. He asks for the boon of immortality so that he and his people can rule. He doesn’t make any promises (unless you count when he says to the people that he rules that they will eat the same food as him, etc.).
Ravanna’s promises do not come at a heavy cost and he does not self-sacrifice to uphold promises. In fact, his self-sacrifice, the tapasya, is aimed at extracting a promise, the boon of immortality. To gain something for himself. He is in things for gain. You could see his promises to his people as a promise given so that he can gain their trust and loyality. This is statecraft rather than generosity.
THE MOTHER
Rama follows his stepmother’s wish and is exiled into the forest. He gives up kingship for her wish. And this leads him on the right path, the path of divinity, the path of the perfect man. This is despite his stepmother’s lust for power.
Ravanna follows his mother’s wish to rule over everything. He takes up kingship for her wish, as well as arrogance. And this leads him on the wrong path, the path of evil. This is because of his mother’s lust for power.
The meaning of this is clear. While both men follow their duty to their mother, Rama is not seduced by the corruption of oppressive and unjust power. Because even when that power influences him, he is not tainted by it. He is pure. Ravanna is impure. He is seduced and corrupted by unjust power.
DEATH
Rama says that he is willing to die for justice.
Ravanna is unwilling to die for what he thinks is justice. He takes the boon of immortality to defend what he thinks is justice.
Rama is a self-sacrificing hero. Ravanna only thinks of things in terms of gaining and retaining power. He is not willing to sacrifice himself for his ideals, to pay the cost for them.
Just as with the promise, Ravanna is not generous or giving. He is close fisted. One can add that he is a coward. Rama is a man. He is prepared to die. He is god that comes on earth in mortal form to save humanity. He accepts precarity and danger. He is brave. It is not brave to fight when you are immortal. It is a cheat. And this is what Ravanna is. He is a cheat.
