Director Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is set to bring several lesser-known chapters of the epic to the big screen—stories that have rarely been explored in films, television adaptations, or popular retellings. One such storyline revolves around Surpanakha, played by Rakul Preet Singh, and her husband Vidyujjihva, portrayed by Vivek Oberoi.
For years, Surpanakha has primarily been remembered as Ravana’s sister. According to the popular version of the Ramayana, she encountered Lord Rama (Ranbir Kapoor) in the Dandaka forest, fell in love with him, and proposed marriage. After Rama declined, she approached Lakshmana (Ravie Dubey), but he also rejected her. Enraged by the rejection, Surpanakha attempted to attack Sita (Sai Pallavi), prompting Lakshmana to cut off her nose to protect her.
Humiliated and furious, Surpanakha rushed to Ravana and narrated the incident. Her account ultimately led Ravana to abduct Sita, setting the stage for the epic war between Rama and Ravana.
Why Was Surpanakha Living in the Dandaka Forest?
While this is where most popular versions of the Ramayana introduce Surpanakha, the Uttara Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana tells a very different story. Instead of portraying her as a wandering demoness, it describes her as a grieving widow who had lost her husband.
This raises an important question: Why was the sister of Lanka’s king living alone in the Dandaka forest?
It appears that Nitesh Tiwari’s adaptation will explore this lesser-known chapter as well. The film reportedly depicts Ravana’s rise to power, showing him defeating Kubera, seizing control of Lanka, and taking possession of all his treasures, including the legendary Pushpak Vimana, which he later used to abduct Sita.
When the makers unveiled the film’s title announcement and a comic book at San Diego Comic-Con, they introduced Vivek Oberoi as Vidyujjihva, surprising many fans who were unaware that Surpanakha had been married.
The Untold Story of Surpanakha and Vidyujjihva
The Uttara Kanda, the seventh and final section of the Valmiki Ramayana, not only narrates Lord Rama’s reign after his return to Ayodhya but also reveals the backstories of several major characters, including Ravana and Surpanakha.
According to Sarga 23 of the Uttara Kanda, Surpanakha was married to Vidyujjihva, a powerful Danava warrior from the Kalakeya clan. The Kalakeyas were considered rivals of Ravana and the Rakshasas.
The text states that Surpanakha and Vidyujjihva fell in love while Ravana was establishing his rule over Lanka. Since Vidyujjihva belonged to an enemy clan, the couple entered into a Gandharva marriage, a form of marriage based solely on the mutual consent of the bride and groom, without requiring their families’ approval.
Although Ravana was initially furious upon learning about the marriage, he eventually accepted the relationship after Surpanakha pleaded with him.
How Did Vidyujjihva Die?
Later, Ravana launched a military campaign against the Kalakeyas as part of his conquest of Pataal Lok, the realm of the Danavas.
During the war, Vidyujjihva was killed by Ravana.
Some later retellings claim Ravana deliberately killed his brother-in-law because he opposed his sister’s marriage to a member of a rival clan. However, other interpretations suggest Ravana failed to recognize Vidyujjihva amid the chaos of battle and killed him unintentionally.
The Valmiki Ramayana, however, simply states that Vidyujjihva died during Ravana’s war against the Kalakeyas. It does not explicitly say that Ravana intentionally killed him because of the marriage.
Why Did Ravana Send Surpanakha to the Dandaka Forest?
After learning about her husband’s death, Surpanakha was devastated. Seeing his sister widowed because of his actions, Ravana is said to have been filled with remorse.
He then arranged for Surpanakha to live in the Dandaka forest under the protection of his half-brothers Khara and Dushana, who commanded an army of 14,000 Rakshasas.
It was during her stay near Panchavati in the Dandaka forest that Surpanakha encountered Lord Rama.
While the Aranya Kanda focuses mainly on Surpanakha’s meeting with Rama and the events that followed, the Uttara Kanda explains why she was living in the forest in the first place.
That encounter eventually triggered the sequence of events leading to Sita’s abduction, the Lanka war, and Ravana’s downfall.
Some later traditions also suggest that after the war, the women of Lanka blamed Surpanakha for the destruction of their kingdom, believing that her actions had prompted Ravana to abduct Sita and ultimately brought ruin upon Lanka. However, these accounts are not part of the original Valmiki Ramayana.
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is scheduled to release in theatres this Diwali. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, and Vivek Oberoi as Vidyujjihva. The film is expected to introduce audiences to one of the epic’s most overlooked yet fascinating storylines.