There are numerous versions of ramayana and it is for everyone, one can see it as they want to see. My hindi teacher used to say , do read atleast a page of ramayana n geeta on daily basis, as they show the reality of society. Today also in my daily life i can relate to so many sequences of ramayana n mahabharata to my life. These were not religious books,but a way of life. They showed that their is a very sleek line which differentiates good with bad.
Even Ravan was a great scholar and the greatest shiv bhaqt as they have shown Iftkaar too..he is so clever , intelligent,religious, focused on his goal.. but he lies on same page as Ravana.. Ravana did the mistake of using his power against Sita and iftkaar did it by using all his clever skills against innocent humans. i feel the terrorists all over the world are the asurs protrayed in ramayana, they take their share of pleasure by killing innocents as the asurs did.