Indira Krishnan defends Ranbir Kapoor’s casting as Lord Rama, reveals what she witnessed on Ramayana sets
Updated: November 12, 2026, 3:32 PM IST
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Indira Krishnan and Ranbir Kapoor (PC-Instagram)
Ranbir Kapoor went through several changes to prepare for his role as Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s RamayanaWhile his casting initially faced criticism from a section of the audience, his co-star Indira Krishnan has now revealed how seriously the actor prepared for the characterShe shared that Ranbir turned completely vegetarian while shooting for the mythological epic.
In an interview with Filmygyan, Indira, who plays Kaushalya, Lord Rama’s mother in the film, spoke about her experience of working with RanbirThe two actors had earlier shared screen space in Animal and developed a close bond while working together on Ramayana.
Indira revealed that she never looked at Ranbir as an actor while shooting their scenesInstead, she always saw Shri Ram in front of herShe also called him her biggest supporter and said that he would often ask for her feedback on his performances.
The actress also defended Ranbir amid the criticism over his casting as Lord RamaShe said, “We have this mentality that if someone is growing and is trying to perform a new character, we have a lot of audience who pull them down and troll themI have also met people who couldn’t believe Ranbir played Lord Rama.”
Recalling Ranbir’s routine during the shoot, Indira said that the actor would often talk about his craving for South Indian foodHowever, he remained committed to his vegetarian diet and fitness schedule throughout the filming process. She said, “He was completely a vegetarian in this entire processBecause I have seen he would eat fruits, work out a lot-3 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the eveningSo he had a regimeI had almost been living with him on the setEven his vanity had fruitsHe was completely on the path to create Shri Rama inside and outEven the way he used to talk and behave with peopleHe used to talk about Raha’s education, always used to grab knowledge about which course he should get for RahaHe is an all-rounder, fabulous actor and fabulous father.”
Why did Ranbir Kapoor face criticism over his casting in Ramayana?
Ranbir’s casting as Lord Rama attracted criticism after his old 2011 interview resurfaced, in which he had described himself as a “big beef fan”The remark upset a section of the audience following the announcement of his role in the mythological film.
His portrayal of Ranvijay Singh, an aggressive and violent character in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, also became a talking pointSome viewers questioned whether Ranbir, who had played such a controversial character, would be able to portray Lord Rama convincingly.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is among the most expensive projects in Indian cinemaThe two-part mythological epic has reportedly been made on a budget of ₹4,000 crore.
The film features Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal and Vivek Oberoi in key rolesReleased on November 5, the film has reportedly collected over ₹500 crore at the domestic box office.
