On September 28, as Ranbir Kapoor turned 44, the makers of his upcoming film, Ramayana , shared a special treat for his fans. They unveiled a 5-minute video chronicling his transformation into Lord Rama. The video featured producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari, and actors Ravie Dubey, Arun Govil, and Sai Pallavi talking about Ranbir. The actor himself spoke about what it was like to essay Lord Rama on the big screen.
Arun Govil, who famously played Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic 1987 TV show, called Ranbir ‘the closest among the current generation of actors to play Lord Rama’. In the video, Ranbir talks about playing Lord Rama, saying he sees the role as a responsibility rather than just another film role. “Lord Rama’s biggest strength is not his bow, it is his Kshama (forgiving nature) – his ability to forgive. Ye role nahi hai. It’s not ki mujhe ek film offer hui hai aur role exciting hai. Ye ek zimmedaari hai (This is not a role. It’s not as if I was offered a film and the role is exciting. The video offers a look at Ranbir’s preparation for the role, along with glimpses of the film’s cast and the work that has gone into bringing the epic to the big screen. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the two-part film features Ranbir as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. The video features Arun Govil, who plays King Dashrath, along with Sai Pallavi and Ravi Dubey, speaking about the qualities that make Ranbir suitable for the role. Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is planned as a two-part film. Sony Pictures will handle global distribution, excluding India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market. The film is also planned for a worldwide IMAX release.
It’s a responsibility),” he says.
