New Delhi: Ranbir Kapoor’s transformation into Lord Rama in Ramayana has been one of the most closely watched aspects of the upcoming epic. On the occasion
of his 44th birthday on Monday (September 28), the makers gave fans a closer look at the actor’s journey with a special five-minute behind-the-scenes video.
The video brings together director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra and members of the cast, including Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey and Arun Govil. Along with glimpses of the film’s making and Ranbir’s preparation, it focuses on why the actor was chosen to play Lord Rama and the responsibility he feels towards the role.
Ranbir Kapoor on playing Lord Rama
For Ranbir, playing Lord Rama is not simply another acting opportunity. In the BTS video, the actor says he views the character as a responsibility because of the faith and emotional connection people have with the Ramayana.
“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,” Ranbir says.
“Every day I reminded myself that my job was not to be worthy of this role. My job was to be worthy of the faith that people place in this story,” he added.
Why was Ranbir chosen as Lord Rama?
The question of casting Lord Rama is addressed at length in the BTS video. Nitesh Tiwari says the character is particularly challenging because of the values associated with Lord Rama and the place the Ramayana holds in Indian culture.
“Ramayana is the oldest epic known to mankind. And that is what we believe in India: that even if you can imbibe 1% of the values which Lord Ram had, you will be a great person. Now imagine what kind of person he was,” the filmmaker says.
Tiwari added that finding the right actor for Lord Rama was almost impossible and that the team could only try to make the right choice.
Arun Govil, who famously portrayed Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 television series Ramayan, also shares his thoughts on Ranbir’s casting. Govil says he notices certain qualities in Ranbir that match the way he has imagined Lord Rama’s mannerisms and personality. He also recalls Ranbir’s behaviour off camera, particularly the actor touching his feet, saying that such gestures reflect qualities he associates with the character.
Govil goes on to describe Ranbir as the closest choice among the current generation of actors to portray Lord Rama.
Sai Pallavi recalls her childhood image of Lord Rama
Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita in Ramayana, also talks about seeing Ranbir as Lord Rama for the first time.
The actor recalls the image of Rama and Sita she had grown up seeing, describing Rama as slender, with his head slightly tilted and a bow in his hand, while Sita appeared small and petite.
“Now suddenly I could see that Ram that I had seen in my childhood, and I was awestruck,” Sai Pallavi says. She also feels that the simplicity she associates with Lord Rama can be seen in Ranbir’s eyes.
Ranbir’s preparation for Ramayana
The BTS video also gives viewers a glimpse into the extensive preparation behind Ramayana. The makers have brought together Indian and international filmmaking talent for the two-part project.
Ranbir has trained with movement specialist Terry Notary, who has worked on several major international productions. The actor says what stood out to him was Notary’s belief in the story and his effort to understand the Ramayana, rather than treating the project only as another action-heavy production.
Ranbir also worked with veteran action director Guy Norris on major action sequences. According to the actor, Norris’ attempt to understand the emotional side of Lord Rama while working on the action was significant to the overall process.
Producer Namit Malhotra has similarly spoken about bringing together filmmaking expertise from India and abroad to create the epic on a large scale while retaining its cultural roots.
About Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, while Sai Pallavi portrays Sita and Yash plays Ravana. Sunny Deol is set to portray Hanuman and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman.
The ensemble cast also includes Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi and Kunal Kapoor, among others.
The film is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. Music for the project is being composed by A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
Ramayana: Part One is scheduled for a worldwide release during Diwali 2026, while Ramayana: Part Two is planned for Diwali 2027. The films are set to release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across India, with a worldwide IMAX release also planned.
