The debate over whether Ranbir Kapoor is rightly casted for the portrayal of Bhagwan Ram on screen or not has found an unlikely critic – the grandson of the man who defined the role for a generation on Indian television.
Shiv Sagar, grandson of legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar (creator of the iconic 1987 Doordarshan series Ramayan), has openly voiced his discomfort with Ranbir Kapoor stepping into the role of Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film. In a recent interview, he explained that while he’s happy with almost every other casting choice in the film, this particular one doesn’t sit well with him. He admitted that after watching Ranbir in a film like Animal, he simply finds it difficult to see him as Lord Ram and feels that a completely new, unfamiliar face would have suited the character better.
He was quick to clarify that his reservations aren’t personal. He acknowledged that Ranbir Kapoor has proven himself as a talented actor across various roles and said he holds nothing against him individually. However, he speculated that the makers may have cast a big star like Ranbir primarily to boost the film’s marketing and box-office pull, suggesting the project might not have got the same promotional push otherwise. Even so, he maintained his personal belief that mythological characters like Ram are better portrayed by fresh, lesser-known faces.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Shiv Sagar has shared his thoughts on the casting. In an earlier conversation with an entertainment portal, he had actually sounded more optimistic about Ranbir Kapoor’s casting. At that time, he mentioned being pleasantly surprised despite some initial doubts, he’d felt the graphics in an early promotional clip didn’t quite match the film’s massive budget but after watching the trailer and seeing the full cast come together, his opinion shifted. He specifically praised Yash’s portrayal of Ravana as impressive and felt Sai Pallavi’s mannerisms and way of speaking made her a natural fit for Sita, adding that the film overall looked visually grand.
Ramayana boasts a star-studded ensemble, with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash taking on the role of Ravana. The epic will hit theatres in two parts, releasing on Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027.
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