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Mukesh Khanna opened up about Ranbir Kapoor playing the role of Lord Ram.
Mukesh Khanna on Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Ram.
Mahabharat actor Mukesh Khanna has sparked controversy once again, this time with his remarks about Ranbir Kapoor. In a recent interview, Khanna shared his concerns about Ranbir being cast as Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana. He expressed that Ranbir’s previous roles, particularly in Animal, could negatively influence the audience’s perception of him portraying the revered character of Lord Ram.
In a conversation with Mid-Day, Mukesh was asked about Ranbir’s casting as Lord Ram. At first, the Shaktimaan actor was hesitant. “I won’t say anything about this, if I do, they’ll accuse me of commenting about everyone and everything. They’ve ruined my reputation. I recently commented about Jackie Shroff’s son… I’m not rude, but I speak my mind. If they’re making a Ramayana, comparisons with Arun Govil will be inevitable,” he said, referring to his performance in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan.
He was then asked if there would be any other actor he deems fit to play the role. Mukesh said, “What Arun Govil did with the role has become the gold standard. All I can say is that whoever plays Ram must embody Ram; he shouldn’t look like Raavan. In their real life, if they are a (lampat chhichhora) lewd hooligan, then it will show on screen. If you’re playing Ram, you’re not allowed to party and drink. But who am I to decide who plays Ram?”
The actor also pointed out that Prabhas attempted to play the role but he was not accepted by the audience. Noting the reception, Mukesh asked filmmakers to be careful with the casting. “He wasn’t accepted by the public, despite being such a huge star. Not because he’s a bad actor, but because he doesn’t look like Ram… The actor playing Ram now is the beacon of the Kapoor family. He’s a fine actor… But I will look at his face, and he should look like Ram. He’s just done Animal, and his negative personality was highlighted in that movie. I hope that doesn’t disturb this…” he said.
Besides Ranbir Kapoor, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana will also see Sai Pallavi as Sita. Arun Govil and Lara Dutta are also playing key roles in the film. Reportedly, the makers have also roped in Sunny Deol for the role of Hanuman. However, there is no official confirmation regarding this as of now.
Ramayana’s first part will hit theatres on Diwali 2026 whereas part two will be out on Diwali 2027.
