Actor Saurabh Sachdeva, who plays the shape-shifting demon Maricha in Nitesh Tiwari‘s big-budget adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana, has said he is not troubled by the online criticism surrounding the film. The actor believes the team made the movie with care and stayed true to the source material. His comments arrive as the film gets ready for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026, after a long build-up that has included both praise and sharp backlash for its visual effects and casting choices.
Sachdeva, known for his role as Abid Haque in the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Animal, plays the demon who takes the form of a golden deer and sets off the chain of events that leads to Sita‘s abduction. In an interview with PTI, the actor made it clear that the noise on social media does not shake his confidence in the project. “I think the film is well-made, nothing has been added just to add, or we’ve not done anything just for the sake of it,” he said. “Whatever I’ve seen, while dubbing for the film, I feel it is done in a beautiful and right way.”
What Saurabh Sachdeva Said About The Criticism
The actor did not dodge the topic of public scrutiny. He acknowledged that a religious subject like the Ramayana carries extra weight because people connect it to faith and belief. “It doesn’t affect me. Now, people have a forum or place to talk about, they can say anything. If you are not getting the story and emotion right, then you can talk about not liking the film,” Sachdeva told PTI in the interview. “Here definitely our belief is also connected, religious belief, religious sentiment is there, that is what is a little fragile. Hence, many times people will get up strongly and talk.”
The actor said he is not scared of the reaction and that the team was prepared for strong opinions because they understood the emotional value of the epic. “I think the film is well-made,” he repeated, pointing to the effort put in by the makers and the care taken during production. He also praised Nitesh Tiwari, the director of Dangal, calling him a calm and soft-spoken person who does not get agitated on set. “I haven’t seen him screaming at anyone, he is a very relaxed person. He often says, ‘You can do this, you can do that’. So, his calmness is very contagious, if the director is relaxed, then I’m also relaxed,” Sachdeva said.
The comments come at a time when the film has been under a microscope ever since its trailer arrived on July 30, 2026. The trailer, which runs over four minutes, gave viewers their first proper look at Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, along with a large supporting cast that includes Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, and Kunal Kapoor.
Why The Film Is Facing Backlash
The criticism around Ramayana has mostly focused on two things. Some viewers have questioned the quality of the visual effects, with early screenings in the United States drawing mixed reactions. A report from an early US screening noted that while the VFX were ambitious, they occasionally looked artificial or cartoonish, lacking the grounded feel expected from such a costly production.
The second flashpoint has been the casting of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, best known for playing Shaktimaan and Bhishma in the Mahabharat television series, criticised the portrayal in strong terms. He said the character should respect the reverence associated with Maryada Purushottam and argued that heavy action scenes and extensive VFX could make the film feel like a superhero spectacle rather than a faithful retelling. Reports quoted him as saying that the film had made Lord Ram look like an action star in the mould of Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, or Rajinikanth.
Some social media users also said Kapoor looked older than their idea of Lord Ram and that the visual effects needed more work. A section of viewers compared the Ramayana teaser unfavourably with other mythological projects, though the film’s team has maintained that the final product is far more polished than early footage suggested.
Sachdeva’s response to all of this has been measured. He did not attack the critics or dismiss their feelings. Instead, he pointed out that a film based on a religious epic will always invite strong emotions. “Many times people will get up strongly and talk,” he said, adding that this comes from a place of belief rather than a desire to hurt the film.
Maricha’s Role And Sachdeva’s Preparation
Maricha is one of the most important supporting characters in the Ramayana. In the epic, he is a rakshasa who is forced by Ravana to help in the plan to abduct Sita. Maricha transforms himself into a golden deer and appears near the forest home of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman during their exile. Sita is drawn to the deer and asks Ram to catch it. Ram follows the deer deep into the forest, and after he strikes it with an arrow, Maricha calls out in Ram‘s voice for Lakshman, creating confusion. That moment pulls Lakshman away from Sita, and Ravana uses the opening to take her. In short, Maricha‘s deception is the trigger for the central conflict of the entire epic.
Sachdeva has spoken about how he approached the role. At the IFP Season 16 event in October 2026, he told FPJ Showbiz that his training in mass acting helped him prepare for a character that changes shape. “I did work in a different way in this project. I was working with mass because I’m a trained mass actor,” he said. “So I used my mass to move my body in a certain way,” he added, explaining how Maricha‘s shape-shifting abilities shaped his physical performance.
The actor also spoke about the moral confusion inside Maricha. “I don’t know how much of a villain Maricha is. He is on the villain side, but he is always in a dilemma about where to stand,” Sachdeva said. That reading of the character fits the epic, where Maricha is not a willing villain but a demon caught between fear of Ravana and the power of Ram.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Response To Casting Criticism
Ranbir Kapoor has also addressed the criticism around his casting. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, he said that people have their own image of Lord Ram and that there is “no fixed face” to the deity. He acknowledged that many people would feel he is the wrong choice, and he said he accepted that possibility. “They all have their own interpretation of Lord Ram,” he said, adding that any actor who approaches the role with genuine faith and the right intent is worthy of playing the character.
Kapoor also said his first thought when he was offered the role was whether he deserved the responsibility. His response has been seen as a calm counter to the backlash, and it mirrors the tone that Sachdeva has taken in his own interviews. Neither actor has dismissed the feelings of the audience. Instead, both have framed the conversation around faith, interpretation, and the difficulty of portraying a figure who lives in the hearts of millions.
Release Date, Advance Booking And Other Details
Ramayana: Part One is set to release worldwide on November 5, 2026. The date was moved up from an earlier plan to open in India on November 8, which is Diwali. The film will now arrive in theatres globally on November 5, with paid previews in India on November 4. The overseas rollout was earlier planned for November 6, but the worldwide schedule has been aligned for November 5.
Advance bookings opened across India on October 20, on the occasion of Dussehra. Trade reports say worldwide pre-sales had crossed ₹44.11 crore by October 31, with domestic opening-day bookings reaching ₹19.61 crore gross and actual ticket sales at ₹16.31 crore after excluding blocked seats. Maharashtra has been the top state for day-one sales, contributing about 30% of the gross.
The film has received a U certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification with zero cuts and a runtime of 195 minutes. The budget for the two-part project is reported at around ₹4,000 crore, which covers both films, post-production, and promotional costs. Yash, who plays Ravana and is also a co-producer, has clarified that the figure is for the full duology and includes the money spent on Hollywood-style promotions. The second part is scheduled for Diwali 2027.
The ensemble cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as King Dashrath, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, Vivek Oberoi as Meghnath, and Saurabh Sachdeva as Maricha, along with Kunal Kapoor, Shobana, Faisal Malik, Sheeba Chaddha, and Chetan Hansraj in supporting roles.
Saurabh Sachdeva’s Career Beyond Ramayana
Saurabh Sachdeva is not only an actor but also a respected acting coach. He founded The Actor’s Truth, a training space that has worked with performers such as Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Dulquer Salmaan, and Richa Chadha. His work as a coach is known for an immersive, performance-focused approach, and he has spoken in the past about how training actors has shaped his own craft.
On screen, he has built a filmography that includes Animal, Eko, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Punjab ’95, Maalik, and Satluj. His role as Abid Haque in Animal became a talking point even though he had limited screen time. Viewers praised him for making the character memorable through controlled expressions and a quiet intensity, and his scenes with Ranbir Kapoor were widely discussed after the film’s release. That performance is a large part of why his casting as Maricha drew attention when the Ramayana trailer arrived.
Sachdeva has also spoken about the uncertainty of the film business and why he prefers experimentation over safe choices. In an interview with the Hindustan Times, he said, “We don’t know what kind of success we will get from which project. We don’t know which film will work or not.” He added, “If we start playing safe, then we will get bored and we will start making bad films.” Those comments fit his approach to Ramayana: a big, risky project that could invite criticism but was made with a clear intent.
Also Read: Sai Pallavi Confirms Ramayana Part 2 Shooting Has Not Started Yet at Los Angeles World Premiere
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