Ranbir Kapoor 'Lacks Innocence' To Play Lord Rama, Says OG Lakshman Sunil Lahri As Ramayana Teaser Leaves Him 'Irked'

Ranbir

Kapoor's first look in Ramayana as Lord Rama is receiving a lot of attention from all sections. While fans are going gaga over his incredible transformation in the Hindu mythological saga, many are getting reminded of the veteran cast who featured in the original and classic Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. Actor Sunil Lahri, who played Lakshman in the Doordarshan show that aired between 1987-1988, also shared his opinion on Ranbir's portrayal of Rama. The movie, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, among others.

Original starcast of Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan

Speaking of Ramanand Sagar's TV epic Ramayan, it had Arun Govil as Sriram, Deepika Chikhalia as Sita, Dara Singh as Hanuman, and Arvind Trivedi as Ravana. In an interview with DNA, Sunil Lahri said that while the teaser was just a glimpse and thus cannot be seen as a film's image in totality, he did agree that there are some factors that "irked" him.

Sunil Lahri feels Ranbir is 'little harsh'

He said while Ranbir looked "ok," he lacked the "innocence" needed for the role, as portrayed by the OG Arun Govil. "But I'm sure he'll justify the role with his acting," Lahri added.There have been divided opinions about whether Ranbir would do justice to playing Lord Rama after his recent intense films like Animal and Brahmastra. Lahri agreed. He stated that Ranbir does look "a little harsh" and suits the role of Bharat or Lakshman more than Rama. According to Lahri, a role like Rama should cast a fresh face. "A new actor, with no image or controversy, is always an ideal match," he said.

About Ramayana: The Introduction

Touted to be the biggest film ever made in India, this Namit Malhotra production is set to release on Diwali this year. With a massive budget of around Rs 4000 crore for its planned two-part release, the first installment alone is estimated at Rs 800+ crore, making it a VFX-heavy mythological spectacle.The teaser of Ramayana: The Introduction revealed a clear look at Ranbir in his character. While we only saw side glimpses of Ravi Dubey and Sai Pallavi, along with the kingdom of Ravana, the video titled Rama focussed primarily on the life and adventures of Ranbir's character. The visuals stand out for being grand and magnificent.Others in the starcast include Ravie Dubey, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Indira Krishnan, Lara Dutta and others.