Social Praxis, Ideological Hegemony, and Resistance in Ranbir Kapoor-Starring ‘Ramayana’: A Gramscian and Freirean Analysis

Cinema is a key cultural practice used to convey ideological messages, moral values, social identities and power relations. Mythological cinema plays an important role in conveying cultural values. The movie, Ramayana, released in 2026, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, and starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, provides us with an opportunity to look at the ways in which mythology is used in cinema and Social Praxis. This paper has analysed the major dimensions of Social Praxis conveyed via the adaptation of Ramayana using Antonio Gramsci’s theory of Cultural Hegemony and Paulo Freire’s theory of Praxis. Gramsci’s understanding of hegemony allows us to understand how cultural narratives can create and justify certain moral and ideological messages. Freire’s understanding of praxis can help us to understand the critical nature of reflection and action. This paper has examined the ways in which morality, gender, kinship, political power, cultural identity and ideology are conveyed through the movie. This paper has argued that mythological cinema can be a source of ideological messages which can allow people to reflect on cultural messages. This paper has taken a qualitative approach. It looked at the theoretical aspects of the epic, the movie and public narratives. This research viewed cinema as an active cultural process that can both enforce hegemony and offer opportunities for emancipation. This paper has concluded that the significance of Ramayana in society does not come from it being a mythological movie but instead from it allowing people to reflect on culture.