The grandson of legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar has openly criticized the casting of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana. Shiv Sagar, who is a producer-director himself, said he cannot accept the Animal star in the revered role because of the “baggage” he carries from his previous violent character.
Shiv Sagar, whose grandfather created the iconic 1987 television series Ramayan, believes the part of Lord Rama should have gone to a fresh face instead of a well-known actor with a strong screen image. His comments have added fresh fuel to the ongoing debate about whether Ranbir Kapoor is the right choice to play the Hindu deity.
Shiv Sagar Points to Ranbir’s ‘Animal’ Image as the Problem
Shiv Sagar made it clear that his issue is not with Ranbir Kapoor’s acting skills. He called the actor “very good” and said he has nothing personal against him. However, he said he finds it hard to separate Ranbir from his role in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, where he played a violent and aggressive character.
“Except for that one casting, I like the rest of the casting very much. Personally, I cannot accept Ranbir Kapoor as Ram because after Animal, I cannot accept him as Ram. When I look at Ram ji, I feel that a fresh face should have been taken.”
Shiv Sagar explained that actors with less screen history are better suited for mythological roles because audiences do not carry old characters into such sacred portrayals. He said Ranbir has “a lot of baggage” while other cast members do not.
“You can take a very strong supporting cast, like Yash is looking very good, Sai Pallavi is looking very good, they don’t have that much baggage. He has a lot of baggage. That’s why we usually take a new face in our serials, so they don’t have any baggage or history.”
Marketing Push Likely Reason Behind Casting Choice
Shiv Sagar also shared his thoughts on why the makers might have chosen Ranbir Kapoor for the role. He suggested that commercial factors likely played a big part in the decision.
“We have seen Ranbir in different roles; he is a very good actor. Personally, I don’t have anything against him. I think they must have taken him for the project because they want a marketing push, and maybe if they didn’t take Ranbir, the film wouldn’t have been marketed so well, so that’s also something to think about.”
Despite this, he stood by his belief that a new face would have been a better choice for a character as respected as Lord Rama.
Ramayana Is History, Not Mythology, Says Shiv Sagar
Shiv Sagar also spoke about the deep emotional and cultural connection that people in India have with the Ramayana. He said the epic is not just a story but a part of India’s history that people worship every day.
“Because after Ramayan, will he be accepted again in a film like Animal? Especially when it comes to Ram ji and Ramayan, people are a bit more touchy and emotional, and this is not mythology. In the West, we call it mythology; even in India, it is called mythology, but it is our history. People worship them every day; he (Ram) is our history.”
He stressed that this is why casting choices for such roles need extra care and sensitivity.
Shiv Sagar Praises Yash, Sai Pallavi and Other Cast Members
While he objected to Ranbir Kapoor’s casting, Shiv Sagar had positive words for the rest of the ensemble. He said Yash, who plays Ravana, looks very good in the role, and Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita, also suits the character well.
He also noted that these actors do not carry the same kind of “baggage” that Ranbir does, which makes them more believable in their mythological roles.
Public Will Have the Final Word, Says Shiv Sagar
Shiv Sagar acknowledged that his opinion is just one among many. He said the audience will ultimately decide whether Ranbir Kapoor works as Lord Rama once the film hits theatres.
“In reality, the public is the king, and whatever the public says will be the final verdict.”
He also mentioned that he did not like some of the costumes and casting choices in certain parts of the film, saying they could have been better.
Related:
Ramayana Release Details: Part 1 in November, Part 2 in 2027
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, the two-part epic stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as King Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha.
Interestingly, Arun Govil, who famously played Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 television series, will appear as King Dasharatha in the new film.
Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled to release in theatres this November 2026. The second part is expected to arrive around Diwali 2027.
This is not the first time Shiv Sagar has spoken about the film. In an earlier interview, he had expressed hope that audiences would accept Ranbir Kapoor in the role after watching the trailer. However, his latest comments show that his reservations remain strong.
Also Read: Gajendra Chauhan Calls Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana Trailer Unimpressive, Praises Arun Govil as Dashrath
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