Actor withdraws praise for Ramayana movie
Nitish Bharadwaj, the actor who played Lord Krishna in BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, a long-running television adaptation of the Mahabharat, has withdrawn his earlier appreciation for Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana movie. The film, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, has grossed Rs 431.47 crore in India, with a total India net of Rs 361.24 crore so far.
Bharadwaj took to social media to express his disappointment with the movie’s interpretation of the epic. He argued that the central characters cannot be casually redefined, as the epic is deeply connected to India’s cultural and spiritual identity.
He stated that the portrayal of Ravan as an exceptionally liberal, socially just, and fair figure alters the moral framework of the epic and undermines the purpose of Ram’s avatar. Bharadwaj announced that he was withdrawing his earlier appreciation for the film, stating, “I cannot find a single good word to say about it.”
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Mukesh Khanna has also voiced concerns about the film, accusing the makers of taking creative liberties with the revered text. He questioned whether recovering the film’s reportedly Rs 4,000 crore budget had become a bigger priority than telling the story faithfully.
Khanna, who had not watched the film, based his comments on promotional material and audience reactions. He particularly questioned a reported fight sequence involving Sita Maa, comparing the portrayal to Rani of Jhansi and modern action-oriented heroines. Referring to Valmiki’s Ramayana, Khanna argued that Sita was never described as fighting physically.
Bharadwaj’s initial hope was that audiences would accept Sai Pallavi as Sita Maa and that the film would retain the traditional sound of the Ramayana through Tulsidas’ Chaupais, Mridangam, and Manjira. He had ended that post by asking readers, “Can someone read between the lines?” However, his latest statement reflects a change of heart, with the actor emphasizing that VFX spectacle could never replace the philosophical depth and spiritual essence of the Mahakavya.
