Ranbir Kapoor has spoken about the weight of playing Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part epic Ramayana, calling it a “responsibility” rather than an acting assignment. In a behind-the-scenes video released on his 44th birthday on September 28, 2026, the actor said his job was not to be worthy of the role, but to be worthy of the faith people place in the story.
Key Facts
- Film: Ramayana: Rise of a Legend (Part 1)
- Director: Nitesh Tiwari
- Producer: Namit Malhotra (Prime Focus Studios)
- Ranbir Kapoor’s role: Lord Rama
- Cast: Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman
- Release Date: November 6, 2026 (worldwide, ahead of Diwali)
- Part 2 Release: Diwali 2027
- Global Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Music: Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman
- VFX: DNEG
What Did Ranbir Kapoor Say About Playing Lord Ram?
Ranbir Kapoor said Lord Ram’s greatest strength was not his bow and arrow, but his ability to forgive. He described the part as something far beyond a normal film role, using the Hindi word zimmedaari (responsibility) to explain his approach.
“Lord Rama’s biggest strength was not his bow and arrow; it was his shama (forgiving nature) – his ability to forgive. Ye role nahi hai. It’s not ki mujhe ek film offer hui hai aur role exciting hai. Ye ek zimmedaari hai.”
The actor also shared a principle from Vedic texts that guided him during the shoot. “Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah. Dharma protects those who uphold it,” he said in the video. “Every day I reminded myself that my job was not to be worthy of this role. My job was to be worthy of the faith that people place in this role.”
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Why Was Ranbir Kapoor Cast as Lord Ram?
Director Nitesh Tiwari said casting Lord Ram was “almost next to impossible” because of the deep faith people hold in the character. He explained that in India, even imbibing one percent of Lord Ram’s qualities is believed to make a person great, which made the choice especially difficult.
“Casting Lord Rama was almost next to impossible. All we could do was try. When Namit discussed Ranbir’s name, I too thought that he checked all the boxes.”
Producer Namit Malhotra said Ranbir’s sincerity made the decision easy. “That sincerity on that face of Ranbir became for Nitesh and I not a reason to debate,” he said.
Actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in the iconic 1987 TV series Ramayan and now plays King Dashrath in the film, praised Ranbir’s humility. “You don’t expect a star to come touch your feet, but he always did that to me on set. If you compare with all the available younger stars of today, Ranbir comes closest to playing Ram.”
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When Does Ramayana: Rise of a Legend Release?
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend releases worldwide in theatres on November 6, 2026, timed around Diwali. The second instalment is scheduled for Diwali 2027. The film will be available in multiple languages including Hindi and English, with a release across IMAX, 3D, and premium large formats. Sony Pictures Entertainment is handling distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions holds India theatrical rights in a reported ₹250-crore deal.
The official title and a new poster featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Yash as Raavan were revealed on September 28, 2026, with the tagline “Mankind’s Greatest Story Comes to Life.”
Who Else Stars in Ramayana?
The film features a large ensemble cast. Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana, Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman. Arun Govil appears as King Dashrath.
Sai Pallavi recalled seeing a familiar image of Lord Ram in Ranbir when they first met. “There is this picture of a slender Ram and his head is a little tilted and there is a very small, petite Sita. That’s the image I remember from my childhood. Now, suddenly, I could see that Ram that I had seen in my childhood and I was awestruck.”
Ravie Dubey added that the simplicity associated with Lord Ram is something he sees in Ranbir’s eyes. “I strongly believed that the simplicity we hear about Lord Ram is the same simplicity I see in Ranbir.”
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What International Talent Is Working on Ramayana?
The production has brought together top global technicians. Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman are composing the music together. DNEG, the Oscar-winning VFX studio behind Dune, Interstellar, and Inception, is handling visual effects through producer Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios. Terry Notary and Guy Norris are handling action choreography, while Ramsey Avery and Ravi Bansal are the production designers. Shridhar Raghavan wrote the screenplay.
Ranbir Kapoor spoke about training under Terry Notary for body language and movement. “I had the good fortune of training under him for body language, for movement. I saw it in Terry Notary’s intention that he believed in the Ramayana.”
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Ramayana: Rise of a Legend arrives in theatres worldwide on November 6, 2026. The final chapter of the two-part saga follows during Diwali 2027.
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