4 min readMumbaiMay 30, 2026 02:05 PM IST
One of the most anticipated films of the year is Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The epic adaptation stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. Interestingly, the film also features veteran actor Arun Govil, who remains synonymous with Lord Rama for millions of Indians due to his iconic portrayal in Ramanand Sagar’s television series Ramayan. In the upcoming film, Govil will essay the role of King Dasharath, Rama’s father.
‘My performance as Lord Rama became the touchstone’
In a recent conversation with Variety India, Govil spoke about Ranbir Kapoor stepping into the role of Lord Rama. While refraining from commenting on the actor’s performance before the film’s release, he expressed confidence in Ranbir’s abilities. “As Rama, I won’t be able to tell you anything about him, but he is a good actor, there is no doubt about that. He is also a fine human being. As I said earlier, every actor pursues every character in their own way. And he must have played Lord Rama in his own unique way.”
Govil was also asked about the trolling Ranbir Kapoor received when the film’s first glimpse was unveiled. Reflecting on the comparisons that naturally come with the role, he said: “That perhaps is also because my performance as Lord Rama became the touchstone. It is still alive in the hearts and minds of people. Nobody wants to see another Rama. You know, my Ramayan keeps playing somewhere or the other at any given time. Even today in North and Central India, whenever there are melas and tamashas and photos of Rama are sold, they have my face on them. So, for me, to talk about an actor’s performance as Lord Rama doesn’t feel right.”
During the same conversation, Govil revealed that he was initially hesitant about joining the project. However, he eventually agreed after discussions with the filmmakers. “Yes, in Ramayana, I’m playing King Dashrath, Lord Rama’s father. Had I felt it wasn’t right, I would not have done it. To be honest, initially, I didn’t want to do this role. But Nitesh Tiwari, the director, was insistent. They wanted some connect between our Ramayan and this Ramayana.”
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Ranbir Kapoor playing double role
Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor recently revealed that he will not only portray Lord Rama in the film but will also take on the role of Lord Parshurama. Speaking to Collider during the film’s teaser launch in Los Angeles, the actor shared how he approached the challenge of playing two incarnations of Lord Vishnu. “Lord Vishnu had different avatars. Lord Rama was an avatar, and Lord Parshurama was an avatar before Lord Rama.”
Reflecting on his preparation for the dual role, Ranbir said: “Just to get the opportunity, you know, how I got to play Lord Rama, to also play Lord Parshurama was fantastic. I think as an actor, apart from body language, I think if you deeply understand the spirituality and the emotionality of the characters, I think everything starts from there. I think that’s what I did the year leading up to the shoot of Ramayana, to understand who these people and characters are, what they stand for and what their motives are.”
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Ramayana is scheduled for a Diwali 2026 release. The magnum opus is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra.
