The first glimpse of Ramayana dropped on Hanuman Jayanti 2026, and fans instantly started celebrating… and questioning. While the teaser focuses heavily on Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, one major absence became the biggest talking point online: where is Sunny Deol?
Social media quickly turned into a gossip zone, with viewers noticing that Hanuman, expected to be played by Sunny, doesn’t appear at all.
Also Read: Ramayana teaser X review: Miscast Ranbir, chaotic VFX, Adipurush-like mess leave Twitter furious
Hanuman Jayanti teaser… but no Hanuman
Ironically, the glimpse was released on Hanuman Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman. The teaser instead focuses on Rama’s journey from his royal life in Ayodhya to his exile with Lakshman and Sita.
Ranbir’s portrayal highlights Rama as a calm, duty-driven hero who chooses responsibility over power. The teaser describes him as a rare kind of leader, someone who walks away from authority when required and sacrifices everything for righteousness.
Still, fans expected at least a quick glimpse of Hanuman, especially considering the occasion. That absence quickly became the biggest discussion point.
So why is Sunny Deol missing?
Reports suggest there’s no drama behind the absence. Sunny Deol hasn’t completed most of his shooting yet. He has been busy filming multiple projects back-to-back and will begin work on ‘Ramayana Part 2’ in April.
His portion in Part 1 is limited. Sources claim he has already shot a 15-minute cameo for the first film. The real spotlight on his character will come in the second installment, which will reportedly feature more of Hanuman’s involvement in the storyline.
Part 1 focuses primarily on Rama’s early life; his time in Ayodhya and his transformation into a warrior and ideal king. That’s why the teaser keeps the narrative centered on Ranbir Kapoor’s character.
The first glimpse of Ramayana was good, but I don’t know why the team didn’t show any shot of Sunny Deol in it on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
I saw many comments pointing out that they wanted to see Hanuman Ji look today. pic.twitter.com/T95edADn9A— Abhishek (@vicharabhio) April 2, 2026
#HanumanJayanti pe teaser release kar rhe the to at least ek shot Hanuman Ji ka bhi hona chaiye tha.
Music is 5/5, but VFX is quite average.#Ramayana
[Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sunny Deol, Namit]— Mark (@MarkWaughSaidSo) April 2, 2026
It’s #HanumanJayanti today, Atleast there should have been a little glimpse of Sunny Deol as Hanumanji. Overall it’s a decent teaser #Ramayana
— Churan Johar (@BollyMaafia) April 2, 2026
#Ramayana makers Hanuman Jayanti k din Sunny Deol Hanuman ji ka look bhi toh reveal karte !@malhotra_namit @iamsunnydeol @WorldOfRamayana
— NJ:) (@NikhilNJ123) April 2, 2026
A mythological world built on a massive scale
The film is directorial of Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra. The screenplay is written by award-winning writer Shridhar Raghavan.
The music lineup itself has grabbed attention: Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer teams up with AR Rahman.
Production design credit goes to Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery, who are reimagining ancient India on a grand cinematic scale.
Action choreography comes from Terry Notary and Guy Norris.
The project is presentation of Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG, an eight-time Academy Award-winning VFX studio, and Monster Mind Creations.
The film draws inspiration from the ancient epic by Valmiki.
Release timeline already locked
‘Ramayana: Part 1’ is ready for a worldwide theatrical release during Diwali 2026. The second installment is already in production and is likely to arrive in Diwali 2027.
So while Sunny Deol’s absence raised eyebrows, it appears to be a strategic storytelling choice rather than a last-minute change.