"Give It Up Or Go To Jail": Trump Vows To Find F-15 "Leak", Threatens Media

The second F-15 airman had been missing for hours. Iran, according to President Donald Trump, had no idea. Then a "mole" leaked the information to the media, and a hunt began.

"They Didn't Know There Was Somebody Missing"

Speaking in the White House briefing room on Monday, Trump said a media report revealing that US forces had rescued one F-15 crew member but were still searching for a second had complicated the rescue operation by alerting Iran.

"We're looking very hard to find that leaker. They basically said that we have one, and there's somebody missing. Well, [Iran] didn't know there was somebody missing until this leaker gave the information," Trump said.

Trump said the disclosure forced the US military into a far more difficult position. "It became a much more difficult operation because a leaker leaked that we have one, we've rescued one, but there's another one out there that we're trying to get," he said.

Also read: "Entire Iran Can Be Taken Out In One Night": Trump's Warning Before Deadline

"Give It Up Or Go to Jail"

Trump said US authorities would go directly to the media organisation that published the story and demand the identity of the source, warning of prosecution if they refused. It was not immediately clear which media outlet Trump was talking about.

"We think we'll be able to find it out, because we're going to go to the media company that released it, and we're going to say, 'national security, give it up or go to jail,'" he said.

Iran Issued A Bounty After The Story Broke

Trump said after the report was published, Iran put out a public notice offering a reward for the capture of the missing pilot, which further complicated the search and rescue effort.

"The country, Iran, put out a major notice... offering a very big award for anybody that captures the pilot," Trump said.

"We have to find that leaker, because that's a sick person. Probably didn't realise the extent of how bad it was. I can't imagine that the person did, but we're going to find out. It's national security, and the person who did the story will go to jail if he doesn't say," Trump said.

Inside The US Military's Daring Rescue Op

The F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday, the first confirmed loss of a US combat aircraft inside Iran since the war began on February 28. 

Both crew members, a pilot and a weapons systems officer, ejected. The pilot was rescued soon after, but the second airman could not be immediately located.

According to the New York Times, Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos carried out the rescue, with hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel operating deep inside Iranian territory. 

US aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys to keep them away from where the airman was hiding. Commandos also fired their weapons to hold off Iranian forces as they moved in, though they did not engage in a direct firefight, the report added.

Before the airman was located, the CIA launched a deception campaign, spreading word inside Iran that US forces had already found him and were attempting a ground extraction. 

President Donald Trump said Monday that the two airmen whose fighter jet was downed over Iran are “recovering very well.”

“They are both recovering very well. They were both injured, and they're doing well,” Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll.

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"Difficult To Keep Him Out": Karthik's Clear Hint To BCCI Over RCB Star

Royal Challengers Bengaluru mentor Dinesh Karthik believes it will be difficult to keep Devdutt Padikkal out of the Indian team for long, given the manner in which he is batting in IPL 2026 following stellar domestic performances. Padikkal starred in RCB's big win against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, scoring a blistering 50 off 29 balls. Asked about Padikkal's composed knock at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Karthik, who is also RCB's batting coach, highlighted his composure during a tough initial phase before opening up.

"The first thing that stands out is his determination. On a pitch like this, when runs don't come easily at the start, many batters try to force a big shot and end up giving their wicket away. Devdutt showed great courage to stay patient when the going was tough," Karthik told Star Sports.

Karthik also suggested that Padikkal's current form would make it difficult for the BCCI selection committee to keep him out of the Indian team for much longer.

"Once he got that first boundary, you could see him switch gears. He's playing proper cricketing shots and hitting the ball with distance. If he continues batting like this, it will be difficult to keep him out of the Indian team for long. He has scored heavily in domestic cricket and we know he's a quality player.

"What's also impressive is the way he's stepping up as a leader in the Karnataka dressing room. Even at 25, he contributes with his ideas and leadership, and that's great to see," Karthik added.

Padikkal's innings featured five boundaries and two sixes, helping RCB reach a mammoth 250/3 after Tim David smashed a 25-ball 70.

RCB won the match by 43 runs, consigning CSK to their third successive defeat.

Former India captain Anil Kumble shared his thoughts on CSK's early challenges in the tournament.

"It's a massive concern for Chennai. If your two most experienced batters, Sanju Samson and Ruturaj Gaikwad, haven't fired in the first three matches, it becomes a serious challenge. The rest of the batting line-up, apart from Samson and MS Dhoni, is quite young.

"You need at least one of your experienced batters to step up and deliver a big innings. Unfortunately, in the first three games, things haven't gone Chennai's way. It's still early in the season, but they will need to tighten things up quickly," Kumble said.

During his blazing swashbuckling knock, David struck eight sixes and three fours, getting his runs at a strike rate of 280.

Karthik reflected on David's powerful innings and said, "He has a very smooth swing, long levers and all the ingredients required to hit big shots.

"For him, it's about ensuring those elements remain consistent in practice. Because he bats in the middle order, he often gets fewer balls in a match compared to top-order batters. So, in the nets, it's important that he faces enough deliveries and stays in a good rhythm.

"The rest of his game is already very strong. Over the last 12-18 months, he has been one of the most consistent batters in the world in this format." RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, who led the team to its maiden title last season, was not to be left behind in the run feast, chipping in with 48 off just 19 balls, and Kevin Pietersen termed the knock a "turning point" of the match.

"You could see the confidence in Rajat Patidar. He wasn't satisfied with just winning the title. He wanted to contribute more. Tim David's innings was outstanding and filled with big sixes, but for me, Patidar's knock was the turning point.

"When Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt took some time to get going, Patidar came in and accelerated beautifully. The way he adapted to the conditions and found those sixes with such ease changed the momentum of the game," Pietersen said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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US Almost Did Not Rescue Its F-15 Airman Thinking It Was An Iranian Trap

Navy SEAL Team 6 special operations troops went into the mountains of Iran on Saturday night to rescue the missing US F-15 airman. But before that, the mission came close to never launching at all.

US President Donald Trump told Axios that when a radio message came through from the stranded weapons systems officer of the downed F-15E, US officials initially suspected it was an Iranian deception designed to lure American forces into a trap.

Trump told the US news outlet the airman sent a short, unusual message after ejecting from the aircraft. "He said: 'Power be to God.'" 

After the radio message came through, they suspected he might already be in Iranian custody and that the Iranians were "sending false signals" to draw US forces in.

Trump also said the US military had "beeping information" about the officer's location, which was being tracked even as doubts about the radio message grew.

As per the report, people who knew the officer confirmed he was a religious person.

"Thousands Were Hunting Him Down"

The F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday, the first confirmed loss of a US combat aircraft inside Iran since the war began on 28 February. Both crew members ejected. The pilot was recovered shortly after, but the weapons systems officer could not be immediately located.

7,000 Feet Up, Alone, Armed With Handgun: US Airman's 48 Hours In Iran

Speaking to Axios an hour after confirming the rescue, Trump said that "thousands of these savages were hunting him down."

"Even the population was looking for him. They offered people a bonus if they captured him," he said.

Trump said Iran shot down the F-15 using a shoulder-fired missile, adding, "They got lucky."

The crew member survived more than 24 hours in the mountains while wounded before being rescued in a special forces operation on Saturday. Around 200 soldiers from special operations units participated in the rescue, Trump said.

How The CIA Bought Time

Before the airman's location was confirmed, the CIA launched a deception campaign of its own, spreading word inside Iran that US forces had already found him and were attempting a ground extraction. The aim was to buy time and throw Iranian search teams off course.

Inside The "Most Daring" Rescue Op In US History: What We Know, And Don't

The CIA used what officials described as "unique capabilities" to track the airman as he moved through mountainous terrain and avoided locals. Once his precise location was pinpointed, it was shared with the White House, the Pentagon and the US military, and a special forces team was inserted nearby on Saturday night.

According to the New York Times, Navy SEAL Team 6 commandos led the rescue, with hundreds of special operations troops and other military personnel operating deep inside Iranian territory. US aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys to keep them away from the airman's position. 

Iran Says The Operation Failed

Iran's military denied that the rescue took place. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for the military's central command, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said the US operation had been "completely foiled."

"The so-called US military rescue operation, planned as a deception and escape mission at an abandoned airport in southern Isfahan under the pretext of recovering the pilot of a downed aircraft, was completely foiled," he said in a video statement on state television.

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Virat Kohli Scripts History, Shatters Rohit Sharma's Sensational Record In T20s

Royal Challengers Bengaluru star batter Virat Kohli scripted history as he achieved a stunning record during the IPL 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Virat scored just 28 off just 18 deliveries but in the process, he surpassed Rohit Sharma to achieve the record of scoring the most runs against a single opposition in T20 cricket. He currently has 1,188 against CSK - the most by any batter against a single team in T20 cricket. Rohit has scored 1,161 runs against Kolkata Knight RIders during his time with Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in the IPL. Incidentally, Kohli also holds the third spot in the elite list as he has slammed 1159 runs against Punjab Kings.

Coming to the match, Devdutt Padikkal and Tim David hit a strong fifties as Royal Challengers Bengaluru rode on a superlative top-order show to post the highest total of this IPL season, a mammoth 250 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings.

Sent in to bat, Padikkal slammed a 29-ball 50, while opener Philip Salt made a 30-ball 46 to provide the platform.

Skipper Rajat Patidar (48 off 19 balls) and Tim David (70 off 25 balls) then hit some lusty blows, smashing 99 runs in 36 balls to take RCB to a mammoth total.

For CSK, Shivam Dube (1/30), Anshul Kamboj (1/52) and Jamie Overton (1/42) were among wickets.

Padikkal said he was relieved to see Tim David take charge of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) innings.

Padikkal, who struck a fluent half-century off 29 balls, admitted the innings needed acceleration at the right time.

"I think at the strategic timeout as well, we had to, we knew that we had to keep going and it was an important phase from there on and I'm probably glad that I got out because the way Tim went from there, it was incredible," he said to broadcasters in mid-innings break.

He also explained that the pitch demanded caution early on before it became better to bat on. "I think it was a bit tacky early on, especially with the new ball wasn't coming on that well and we have to make sure that we don't lose too many wickets. We understand that in the Chinnaswamy, if we have wickets in hand in the last five, six overs, we can really maximize and that's what we did," said Padikkal.

He further said setting targets at the venue was difficult. "Not really, to be honest. It's very hard to set a target here in Chinnaswamy. It's important that the moment you have that momentum behind you, you have to just keep going."

(With agency inputs)

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India Makes First Iranian Oil Purchase In 7 Years, With "No Payment Hurdle"

Indian refiners have purchased Iranian oil amid the Middle East conflict that has disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the oil ministry said on Saturday.

The world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, India has not received a cargo from Tehran since May 2019, following US pressure not to buy Iranian crude, but supply disruptions from the war have hit the country.

"Amid Middle East supply disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran; and there is no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports," the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on X.

The news reports and social media posts of an Iranian crude cargo being diverted from Vadinar, India to China due to “payment issues” are factually incorrect. 🇮🇳India imports crude oil from 40+ countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources…

— Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas #MoPNG (@PetroleumMin) April 4, 2026

Last month, the United States temporarily removed sanctions on Iranian oil and refined products to ease supply shortages.

India has secured its full requirements of crude oil for the coming months, the ministry added.

"India imports crude oil from 40-plus countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources and geographies based on commercial considerations."

India has also bought 44,000 metric tons of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas loaded on a sanctioned vessel. The ministry said the vessel, which berthed at the western port of Mangalore on Wednesday, is discharging the fuel.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Bangladesh Writes To BCCI To Salvage Tour, Repair Ties After T20 WC Pull-Out

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has approached the BCCI to salvage India's white-ball tour in September and repair ties strained after Dhaka's decision to pull out of the T20 World Cup in India. It is understood that BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul's regime could end soon, and an interim board may initiate discussions with the Indian cricket board. The BCB, believed to be run by sports ministry adviser and anti-India hardliner Asif Nazrul, decided not to send the team to India on the pretext of security issues after Mustafizur Rahman was not allowed by the BCCI to play in the IPL.

The BCB had requested that their matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, but the ICC did not find merit in the request, ruling out any security concerns for the team in India.

Indo-Bangla cricket ties have traditionally been cordial, but recent developments have led to a marked deterioration.

"Yes, the BCB has sent a letter to the Indian cricket board. Not only regarding the Indian men's team's white-ball tour of Bangladesh in September, there is also the men's 50-over Asia Cup, which the BCB is set to host next year," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

It is understood that the BCB is keen to host India, as six white-ball matches featuring the Men in Blue would stabilise the board's finances for the year, given the revenue generated from linear and digital broadcast rights sales.

Tamim in line for BCB presidency?

Among several items on its agenda, the BCB has discussed the resignation of four directors during Aminul Islam Bulbul's tenure as president.

There is strong resentment within Bangladesh's cricketing circles over Bulbul's continuation, especially after he expressed helplessness in convincing interim government head Muhammad Yunus to send the team to India.

"The investigation committee looking into the T20 World Cup non-participation fiasco will present its report to the government on April 9.

"It will be interesting to see how Bulbul's position stands once that report is tabled. In that case, an interim board will take over, and re-elections will be held within 90 days. All eyes will also be on Bangladesh's foreign minister's visit to Delhi," said a source tracking developments.

It is understood that former Bangladesh skipper and the country's most accomplished opener, Tamim Iqbal, could be a strong candidate for the BCB presidency.

Iqbal, who urged the government and the BCB to adopt a prudent and practical approach rather than a hostile response, is a choice that the Indian cricket board would also not oppose

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Artemis II Security Breach: Astronaut Enters Tablet PIN On Livestream

NASA's monumental Artemis II mission successfully launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday (Apr 1), carried by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. While millions watched the historic liftoff, a brief security lapse caught the attention of eagle-eyed space enthusiasts, who spotted mission commander Reid Wiseman inadvertently broadcast his tablet PIN to the global audience while preparing for launch.

The incident took place 19 minutes before Wednesday's launch as Wiseman, 50, grabbed his stylus and entered the four-digit code, with the camera focused on him. As the incident went viral, social media users joked that Wiseman should have been informed by the NASA team to practice extra caution while entering the password.

"My guy just typed his iPad PIN directly into a 4K overhead shot, unlocking it for the entire planet. Command module getting opensourced but it's ok because it's for the gram," said one user while another added: "That's amazing! I have the same combination on my luggage!"

A third commented: "I appreciate you wanting to get people interested in rocket science, but maybe don't broadcast that the PIN to unlock the tablet on the rocket is either 9393 or 3939."

Artemis crews have tablets pre-loaded with television programs they can binge-watch, and read manuals and experiments about their mission, according to a report in New York Post.

Now that it's lifted off, I can share this:

Hey @NASA, I appreciate you wanting to get people interested in rocket science, but maybe don't broadcast that the PIN to unlock the tablet on the rocket is either 9393 or 3939. Maybe have him change it before returning...just in… pic.twitter.com/WDm6U6DwPw

— BonkDaCarnivore (@BonkDaCarnivore) April 1, 2026

Also Read | AI Chatbots Lie And Manipulate To Protect Each Other From Deletion, New Study Finds

Artemis II Mission

Artemis II is NASA's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, acting as a crucial test flight for the Artemis programme to enable a lunar landing by 2028. The crewed mission will evaluate the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, paving the way for sustained human lunar exploration and future Mars missions

Along with Wiseman, the mission features Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who have embarked on a 10-day test flight to orbit the Moon and return.

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India, Bangladesh Talk Defence Ties As Dhaka Moves Away From Yunus' Pak Push

Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, met Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed enhancing defence cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka. The high-level meeting marks a sharp turn in ties between the two nations after the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took charge in Bangladesh. 

"Pleased to meet General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (Indian Army), at South Block and reflected on Bangladesh-India ties, including defence collaboration," Hmidullah later said in a post on the social media platform X. 

Pleased to meet Gen. Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (#IndianArmy), at South Block; and reflected on 🇧🇩🇮🇳 ties, including #defense collaboration.@adgpi #Bangladesh #India @BDArmyOfficial @BangladeshAFD pic.twitter.com/myg5WexHb7

— Riaz Hamidullah (@hamidullah_riaz) April 2, 2026

The meeting assumes greater significance because it signals a return to collaboration between the two countries. Under the previous government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the Pakistan Army had tried to gain a footing in Bangladesh, with several top officials from Islamabad visiting Dhaka. Yunus, during his one-and-a-half-year tenure, repeatedly provoked India with irresponsible comments, leading to a further strain in ties. 

Under Rahman, who has a Bangladesh First policy, New Delhi and Dhaka have restarted working together, as the two countries share common security goals, especially when it comes to the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) region and the Indian Ocean.

Rehman has also maintained a distance from Islamabad since his return. On March 25, when Bangladesh observes Genocide Day, the Prime Minister condemned the Pakistani military assault of 1971 as "one of the most heinous genocides.

Reset In India-Bangladesh Ties

India and Bangladesh have also been looking at common maritime and energy security goals, with Dhaka participating in the ongoing IOS SAGAR exercise that was flagged off from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Thursday evening. 

Maritime security and energy security have been a concern for the neighbourhood. India, under its Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual And Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions) visions, has been working to tackle regional security challenges and those arising from conflicts like the West Asia war that has impacted both India and Bangladesh.

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On Middle East Crisis And LPG, 2 Top Congress Leaders Ditch Party Line

Two more Congress leaders have come out in support of the NDA government's handling of the war in the Middle-East, deviating sharply from the party stand. While former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath, flatly said there is no LPG crisis, Anand Sharma, the foreign minister in the erstwhile UPA government, applauded India's "diplomatic handling of the crisis" in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter. In what could amplify any trouble within the party, he added, "National unity and a mature response guided by national interest is the need of the hour".

Earlier, Congress's Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari had deviated from the party stand regarding the war in the Middle-East. The party, though, had not commented on the matter. The two leaders' comments had left the party red-faced earlier also, especially on the matter of Operation Sindoor. The party had benched them during the Op Sindoor debate in parliament.

This time, two more leaders had deviated from the party line. 

"Indian diplomatic handling of the crisis has been mature and skillful avoiding potential minefields," Sharma said in one of his 11 posts on the subject. 

India's response, he wrote, "must be backed by a national consensus and resolve".

The government, he added, has held an all-party meeting to apprise political leaders about the policy decisions in "an unpredictable and volatile situation".

"This national dialogue should be sustained. National unity and a mature response guided by national interest is the need of the hour," he had added, clarifying that apart from the "historical and civilisational relations with Persia", there is also the question of the energy crisis. 

"The war has aggravated the energy, economic and global security challenges. Global Supply chains disruption, tremors in world markets and sharp depreciation of Rupee and national currencies presents an immediate and long term challenge that needs to be urgently tackled," he wrote. 

Also, "Critical energy supplies of Petroleum, LPG - PNG, 200 billion of Trade, the interest and security of 10 million strong Indian diaspora also almost 60 percent FOREX remittances have to be borne in mind," he added, pointing to what is at stake, especially for the younger generation.

The stance was a notable departure from the line of the party, which has been vocal in its condemnation of the government, insisting that it has been following the lead of the US and Israel and turning against a longtime partner. 

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has claimed that the government has "surrendered".

Kamal Nath, in face of multiple reports of LPG shortage, said, "There is no such shortage. It is just an atmosphere being created that there is a shortage."

There is "no dearth of cooking gas" in the state, he said, accusing certain quarters of deliberately manufacturing panic for political gains. 
Nath's party has been consistently targeting the Central and the Madhya Pradesh government on the war, alleging delays in LPG supply and hardship faced by the public. 

His comments have left the party open to BJP attacks. Union Minister and senior BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, in a post on X, said, "Now even Congress leader Kamal Nath has himself stated that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, and gas in the country. The Congress party, which has been misleading the public for so long with lies and illusions, should be ashamed." 

It is time for the Congress party to stop trying to gain political mileage by instilling fear and distrust in the public, he added.

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Trump Fires Key Aide Who Was In Charge Of Epstein Files Disclosure

US President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and what he sees as a lack of aggression in targeting his enemies. Trump was reportedly 'frustrated' with Bondi, according to the Associated Press.

Pam "will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector," Trump announced on his Truth Social platform.

"Our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General", he said.

The report says that Trump has privately discussed replacing Bondi with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, has been publicly and privately praised by Trump, who at an event in February described him as “our secret weapon.”

Bondi, a former state attorney general in Florida and a Trump loyalist who was part of his legal team during his first impeachment case, has been in her position for more than a year.

She came into office pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of Trump foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president's political and personal agenda.

Bondi, who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was his second choice to lead the Justice Department, picked for the role after former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew his name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.

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Why Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana Screening In LA Has Upset Fans In India

The buzz around Ramayana just got louder, and not entirely for the right reasons.

As excitement builds for Ranbir Kapoor's look as Lord Rama, the makers made a surprising move. The first visuals were unveiled in Los Angeles. Not in India.

Fans back home noticed, and they are not happy.

A Grand Reveal... But Not At Home?

Ranbir Kapoor, along with director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra, travelled to Los Angeles to present the first visuals of Ramayana to a select global audience. While the move signals the film's massive international ambitions, it has also left many Indian fans feeling sidelined.

After all, this isn't just any story-it's Ramayana, an epic deeply woven into Indian culture. So when the first glimpse went to an audience miles away, reactions online were swift and sharp.

Internet Reactions

Reddit, in particular, saw a wave of reactions, with users questioning the strategy and expressing frustration.

A user wrote, "How is promoting abroad the plan to recover any money? Where is the lore, the fan following, the establishment of characters? Money won't come out of thin air, specifically from the audience in the West, spoilt for choice with epic cb characters like ones in the Marvel/DC universe or Sonic, Mario and other gaming crowd-pullers. If they have any hope of making money, it should be from India."

Another user didn't hold back either, commenting, "Insane disrespect for us."

A third comment echoed the sentiment around loyalty and audience priority, saying, "Making a movie from one of our mythologies, target audience being us who are going to be the once contributing maximum to their money recovery, but of course why will they screen for us first and you expect loyalty from audience ki haan hamari picture theatre mein jaake dekho."

And then came a sarcastic take that summed up the mood: "Way to target the key audience of Ramayana as Los Angeles is known for it's love for Lord Ram. Ayodhya hi aa jaate would have been ten times cheaper."

Ranbir Kapoor On Playing Lord Rama

At the special showcase, Ranbir opened up about stepping into one of the most revered roles in Indian mythology.

"Lord Rama has been the conscience keeper of billions of people around the globe for centuries and long after. He will continue being so long after we have gone."

He further reflected on the deeper meaning of the character, adding, "He enlightens us about the human spirit in terms of adversities. He stands for compassion, for courage, for righteousness and forgiveness. He is called Maryada Purushottam, which stands for an ideal man."

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is being mounted as a two-part film set 5,000 years ago. The film boasts a massive ensemble-Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lord Lakshman.

With the first part slated for a Diwali 2026 release and the second arriving in Diwali 2027, expectations are sky-high.

ALSO READ: Fan Praises Ranbir Kapoor For Dhurandhar 2 At Ramayana Event In New York, Actor's Reaction Goes Viral

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