Creating a mythological character for the big screen involves more than finding the right actor. The costume, silhouette, accessories and even the smallest design details play a role in establishing how
the character appears on screen. In Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, Kunal Kapoor takes on the role of Lord Indra, and the elaborate armour that accompanies his appearance is now getting a closer look.
Costume designer Ajay Kumar recently shared behind-the-scenes photographs documenting the process of creating the look, offering a glimpse into everything that went into bringing Indra Dev to the screen. The pictures include initial ideation sketches, Kunal’s look tests and glimpses of the armour-making process.
Inside the making of Kunal Kapoor’s Lord Indra costume
Sharing the photographs, Ajay spoke about the journey from the first look tests to the final armour creation. He explained that every detail contributed to bringing his vision of Indra to life, adding that the appreciation for the finished look made the experience particularly special.
The photographs offer an interesting look at the stages involved in costume development. Before an elaborate outfit reaches the screen, designers have to work through initial concepts, experiment with silhouettes and assess how a costume translates when worn by an actor.
In a film rooted in mythology, this process becomes particularly important. The costume has to establish the character’s identity while also working within the visual language of the film. In Kunal’s case, the armour and accompanying details give Lord Indra a distinctly commanding screen presence.
Kunal Kapoor on being part of Ramayana
Interestingly, Kunal had also shared a series of behind-the-scenes photographs from the film a few days earlier, along with a note thanking the people who brought him on board.
The actor thanked producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari for trusting him with the role of Lord Indra. He also acknowledged casting director Mukesh Chhabra for considering him for the part.
Reflecting on the experience, Kunal wrote about watching the ambitious project take shape and how it showed him what happens when people dare to dream big and have the conviction to build that dream “brick by brick, frame by frame”.
He also acknowledged the contribution of the technicians, makeup artists, costume designers and the wider crew, pointing out how much work goes into creating a cinematic world of this scale.
The details behind Ramayana’s larger-than-life world
The attention being given to Kunal’s Indra costume also brings the film’s larger approach to visual world-building into focus. Ajay Kumar has been involved in the film’s armour design, with the process extending to the costumes worn by other characters as well.
In a separate look at the making of the film’s armour, the designer revealed his collaboration with artisans in Assam to create pieces using traditional materials and craftsmanship for Lord Rama and Lakshman. That work involved Sarpat cane, jute and wood, highlighting how the production has drawn on different forms of Indian craft.
While the Indra photographs offer a separate glimpse into Kunal’s character, they underline the amount of planning and technical work that goes into designing costumes for a film of this scale.
For Kunal, playing Lord Indra was clearly an experience that extended beyond his scenes. And as his own post suggests, the finished frames are only one part of a much larger creative process involving hundreds of people working behind the camera.
