5 min readJul 30, 2026 02:59 PM IST
After months of anticipation, the trailer of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 is finally out. As expected, the ambitious adaptation has sparked mixed reactions online. While many have praised its scale and visual ambition, others have criticised several aspects of the film, with much of the debate centring on Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Rama. A section of social media users has argued that the actor is a misfit for the role, questioning the casting choice.
‘I don’t think there’s a right actor to play Lord Rama’
Amid the online criticism, Ranbir recently addressed the debate while promoting Ramayana at San Diego Comic-Con alongside director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra and co-star Yash. Reflecting on the responsibility of portraying one of most revered deities, the actor said he believes there can never be one definitive choice to play Lord Rama. During a conversation with Review Nation, Ranbir opened up about the criticism he has faced, admitting that he initially questioned whether he was worthy of taking on the role.
“The first question that popped into my head was, am I worthy? Am I the right person and why am I being gifted this responsibility to not play Lord Rama but represent him? But very soon you understand the value, the responsibility and the noble intention of the filmmakers to present the story, which has been relevant for 4,000 years. It’s deeply ingrained in our subconscious. So I don’t think there’s a right actor to play Lord Rama.”
The actor further said that every devotee has their own image of Lord Rama, making it impossible for any one actor to satisfy everyone’s expectations. According to him, what matters most is the sincerity and faith with which the role is approached. “All the people who have watched Ramayana, they all have their own interpretation of Lord Ram. There is no fixed face to it. Many people will probably feel like I am the wrong casting. Some people will say I am the right casting. But the honest truth is that the right casting for Ram would be any actor who has the right intentions and who has belief and faith in the journey of Lord Ram.”
Yash, who plays Ravana in the film, also praised Ranbir’s performance during the same interview. Calling the role one of the most challenging an actor can undertake, he said: “It’s not easy to play Lord Ram. The way Ranbir Kapoor has done it is marvellous. He has worked incredibly hard, and when you watch Ramayana, you’ll witness a beautiful portrayal of Rama filled with intent and sacrifice.”
Social media divided over Ranbir’s casting
Ever since the trailer was unveiled, Ranbir’s casting has remained one of the biggest talking points on social media, with several users expressing reservations about him portraying Lord Rama. One user wrote, “Although I love Ranbir Kapoor and admire his work but seeing him as Shri Ram just feels too odd. Can’t picture him in that role, and even hearing him speak fluent hindi in this character feels off. Maybe they should’ve cast someone whose screen presence naturally fits the image of Shri Ram.”
Another commented, “I had doubts about Ranbir’s Hindi even before any Ramayana asset got released. He is very good for urban roles but in these roles, he feels like a miscast.”
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Playing both Lord Rama and Parshurama
Interestingly, Ramayana will see Ranbir in a double role. Apart from portraying Lord Rama, he will also essay Lord Parshurama in Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part epic. Speaking to Collider about taking on both characters, Ranbir said he relied on their distinct emotional and spiritual identities, along with differences in body language and voice, to portray them.
“Lord Vishnu had different avatars. Lord Rama was an avatar, and Lord Parshurama was an avatar before Lord Rama. 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.”
Ramayana is planned as a two-part epic, with the first instalment scheduled to release on Diwali 2026. The film also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman.
