Yash Lugged Up To 33 Kg Of Ravana Costume In 'Ramayana'; Designer Says Crown Reverse-Engineered To 1.8 Kg

Actor Yash's transformation into Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's epic 'Ramayana' involved elaborate costumes, intricate jewellery and heavy armour. Giving the mythological character his imposing appearance required extensive work from the film's costume department. Designer Saniya Sardhariya has now revealed that some of Yash's outfits weighed as much as 33 kg.

Speaking to India Today, Sardhariya said, "Most of the costumes used to weigh around 16 to 20 kg, including the jewellery. But we had a few heavy pieces, like the Ravana look associated with Lanka, his wedding costume, and the costume he wore for Surpanakha's wedding. Those were close to 30–33 kg, if I remember correctly."

The designer also revealed that Yash's crown alone weighed 1.8 kg after several attempts to reduce its weight through reverse engineering.

How Saniya Sardhariya Designed Yash's Ravana Look

Creating Ravana's appearance involved extensive research to establish his identity as a powerful king while incorporating details associated with his personality and beliefs. Sardhariya, who has worked with Yash for around 11 years, experimented with different design elements before finalising the look.

In an earlier conversation with Variety India, she explained that the design began with Ravana's identity as a king, with the warrior aspect reflected through his armour and shoulder pads.

"I'd say I would like to start with him as the king. That gives you the scale of the silhouette and the richness of the materials. The warrior comes through the structure of the armour, his shoulder pads and all of that," she told the publication.

She further explained how the costume incorporated details associated with Ravana's devotion to Lord Shiva.

"His devotion is something you discover at a closer range, through details like a serpent motif or a trishul (trident) incorporated into the metalwork. I like that the costume allows you to discover different sides of him at different distances," Sardhariya added.

Sri Lankan architectural heritage also influenced the design process. Clarifying the inspiration behind Ravana's appearance, she said, "If you look more closely at the jewellery, you will notice a very specific connection to Shiva imagery and Sri Lankan architectural heritage."

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Why Ravana's Crown Was Difficult To Create

The crown was among the most challenging pieces to develop. The team created several three-dimensional mock-ups to get its structure and appearance right before working on reducing its weight.

"I think the most difficult part was wearing the crown because any amount of weight on your head feels very restrictive and heavy. So, we experimented a lot with the idea. We had so many mock 3D crowns made, and we ensured that we got the design right first. Then we started reverse-engineering it to see how we could make it lighter and lighter," she said.

She further explained that despite several attempts, the team could not reduce its weight beyond 1.8 kg.

The armour presented similar challenges. The chest plate, shoulder pieces and other accessories had to be designed in a way that would not excessively restrict the actor's head and arm movements.

"It was very difficult, and he would take off pieces between shots. The weight is one part of it. There's also the way the pieces sit together, right? Think about moving your head in a crown or moving your arms when you have that chest plate and structure on your shoulders. Then think about doing several takes while making the movement feel natural," Sardhariya told India Today.

Jewellery And Armour Added To The Costume's Weight

The jewellery alone weighed approximately 6 kg to 7 kg, making it a significant part of Yash's overall costume. Amrapali collaborated with the team on the jewellery, which featured detailed motifs and elaborate embellishments.

In her conversation with Variety India, Sardhariya revealed that the jewellery, crown and armour collectively contributed to the considerable weight of Ravana's ensemble.

"The jewellery alone weighs around 6–7 kg, while the crown is almost 1.8 kg. When you add the armour base and the costume, which features heavy and detailed embroidery, the combined weight becomes quite substantial," she said told the publication.

The design process also involved integrating jewellery with the metal armour. Explaining the creative decision behind this approach, she told India Today, "One design decision I made very early on was blurring the line between jewellery and armour."

She further explained that the process required different teams to work on the individual components before bringing them together.

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Yash Also Contributed To His Ravana Look

Yash was actively involved in developing his character's appearance. During costume trials and mock shoots, the actor shared suggestions based on how he needed to move and perform in different scenes. During fittings and trials, he would experiment with different costume elements and suggest changes based on his movements during scenes.

Sardhariya also revealed that she introduced the costume elements gradually rather than presenting Yash with the complete look at once. This helped the team identify areas that needed adjustments, particularly around the fit and weight of the accessories.

In her conversation with Variety India, she also praised the actor's involvement, saying, "I would say that he gives me maximum creative freedom, but at the same time, he is extremely invested in the process. He is a very quick learner, and you have to be on your toes to keep up with where he is."

Yash Kept The Crew Entertained Despite Heavy Costumes

Despite wearing costumes that could weigh up to 33 kg, Yash reportedly maintained his sense of humour during filming. Sardhariya recalled how the actor would playfully tease people around him using the pointed details on his crown, shoulder pads and armbands.

She recalled, "Yash very soon discovered that this was going to be very draining. So, to entertain himself or pull our legs, he would ensure that all those sharp things we had put in our designs, whether on the crown, shoulder pads, or armbands, became everyone's problem. If something was pricking him, he would make sure everybody around him was getting poked too."