Mumbai: Kunal Kapoor has backed Ranbir Kapoor to play Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, calling him the ‘perfect choice’ for one of Hindi cinema’s most watched mythological roles. Kunal plays Lord Indra in the film, and his comments arrive just after the trailer gave viewers a first look at the epic’s scale.
The role is about stillness, not spectacle
Kunal’s reasoning is pointed. He believes Lord Ram cannot be played as a loudly dramatic part. ‘Shree Ram is the hardest kind of role because you can’t perform him, you have to be him,’ he said. The performance, he added, needs stillness and grace: an actor who can hold a frame quietly and ‘say everything while doing almost nothing.’
That is a useful frame for fans because Lord Ram is not only a central figure in the epic but also a role with enormous cultural expectations. A quieter performance can make the surrounding visual world feel more grounded.
Kunal Kapoor’s 25-year view
The actor also pointed to the project’s level of commitment. In his words, producer Namit Malhotra has brought rare passion and resources to Ramayana. ‘The time and resources he’s poured into this are unreal. This isn’t a film for him. It’s a mission,’ Kunal said.
That statement matters because the film is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 5, and the promotional campaign is now building around the trailer. With an ensemble cast filling key roles from the epic, the film is being positioned as a large-scale event.
Mythological retellings sit at a tricky intersection. Audiences arrive with both faith and fandom, so the lead casting is often scrutinised long before a single performance is judged. Kunal’s quietness argument gives the team a clear line: this Ram will not be built on broad gestures.
First look: Lord Indra on Airavata
The newly released trailer shows Kunal in metallic armour and riding Airavata, the celestial white elephant associated with Lord Indra. The glimpse introduces his character while signalling the film’s visual ambition.
The trailer does not reveal much of Ranbir’s performance, but the conversation around his casting has already begun. Kunal’s endorsement, from inside an ensemble that spans the epic’s key roles, adds weight to that conversation.
What to watch as the release approaches
- The trailer has given audiences a first look at Kunal Kapoor as Lord Indra and the film’s larger mythological world.
- Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram in an ensemble cast across the epic’s key roles.
- Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, opens in theatres on November 5.
For fans, the casting debate is only the beginning. The larger test is whether the film’s spectacle and its central performance strike the right balance before November 5.
Source: Bollywood Hungama