In a recent interview, Mukesh Khanna reacted to Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Rama in Ramayana. Read on to know what he said! Mahabharat actor Mukesh Khanna recently shared his concerns about Ranbir Kapoor being cast as Lord Rama 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 Rama, adding, “Aap jo actor ko cast kar rahe ho, unki zindagi bhi Ram ke against nahi honi chahiye (The actor’s life should not go against Lord Rama).”
In an interview with Mid-Day, Mukesh Khanna was asked about Ranbir Kapoor’s casting as Lord Rama. Initially, the veteran actor hesitated to comment, stating that if he did, he would be accused of commenting on everything and everyone, which had previously affected his reputation.
He said, “Aap jo actor ko cast kar rahe ho, unki zindagi bhi Ram ke against nahi honi chahiye. Humare Kapoor (Ranbir Kapoor) khaandaan ke chirag hain, bohot achhe actor hain. Unki life bhi aisi nahi hai jo aap Ram ke against bol sakein. He’s just done Animal, and his negative personality was highlighted in that movie. I hope that doesn’t disturb this.”
(The actor you are casting should not have a life that goes against Ram’s character. Our Kapoor (Ranbir Kapoor) family has shining stars, and he is a great actor. His life is also not such that you can say it goes against Ram. He’s just done Animal, and his negative personality was highlighted in that movie. I hope that doesn’t affect this.)
Khanna also pointed out, “Agar Ramayana banate ho, toh Arun Govil ke saath comparison hoga, aur wo zaroor hoga. Bhishma Pitamaha banate ho toh Mukesh Khanna ke saath comparison hoga, chahe aap chahein ya na chahein, kyunki unhone ek icon bana diya hai.”
(I am saying it again, if you make Ramayana, there will be a comparison with Arun Govil, and it will definitely happen. If you make Bhishma Pitamah, there will be a comparison with Mukesh Khanna, whether you like it or not, because he has made an icon of the role.)
Apart from Ranbir, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana will feature Sai Pallavi as Sita. The film also stars Yash, and reports suggest Sunny Deol has been cast as Hanuman, although this has not been officially confirmed yet.
The first part of Ramayana is set to release in theaters on Diwali 2026, while the second part is expected to debut on Diwali 2027.
