Ranbir Kapoor has spoken about the responsibility of playing Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, revealing how he prepared himself to understand the character beyond the physical transformation.
Published: September 29, 2026, 5:20 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/entertainment/bollywood/ranbir-kapoor-on-playing-lord-ram-in-nitesh-tiwari-ramayana-8531286/
Ranbir Kapoor on playing Lord Ram in Ramayana (PC: Instagram)
Ranbir Kapoor stepping into the role of Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has naturally become one of the most closely watched casting choices in Indian cinemaBut for the actor, the role appears to have meant much more than changing his appearance or preparing for large-scale action sequencesAs the makers have now shared more about the making of the film, Ranbir has opened up about what it took to understand the character and the teachings associated with himFrom reading and meeting scholars to practising yoga and meditation, Ranbir Kapoor has spoken about approaching the part with a sense of responsibility rather than treating it like another film role.
Ranbir Kapoor says playing Lord Ram was a responsibility
In a newly released behind-the-scenes vide, Ranbir Kapoor spoke about what it meant to portray Lord Ram in Ramayana: Part OneThe actor said he did not see the part simply as an exciting acting opportunity.
Read more:
Ranbir Kapoor gets angry at paparazzi during outing with Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal- Watch
“Lord Rama’s biggest strength is not his bow, it is his shama (forgiving nature),” Ranbir said, describing forgiveness as one of the qualities he wanted to understand while approaching the characterHe said, “Ye role nahi haiIt’s not ki mujhe ek film offer hui hai aur role exciting haiYe ek zimmedaari hai (This is not a roleIt’s not as if I was offered a film and the role is excitingIt’s a responsibility).”
He further added, “Everything comes down to the belief and simplicity of the individual playing Lord RamaEvery day I reminded myself that my job was not to be worthy of this roleMy job was to be worthy of the faith that people place in this story.”
The actor further explained that his focus was not on trying to prove himself worthy of playing Lord RamInstead, he wanted to respect the faith audiences already have in the story.
This approach is also reflected in the film’s official first-look materialThe makers have described Rama as a figure who chooses duty over desire and sacrifice over personal comfortRanbir has previously said that he sees the character as someone he can learn from.
Nitesh Tiwari on casting Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram in Ramayana
Director Nitesh Tiwari has also explained why he chose Ranbir Kapoor for the roleIn the latest behind-the-scenes video of Ramayana: Part One, Tiwari, along with producer Namit Malhotra and members of the cast, spoke about the actor’s sincerity towards the character.
In the video shared by the makers on YouTube, Nitesh Tiwari said, “In India, we believe that even if we imbibe just 1% of what Shri Ram was, that will make us a great human beingSo just imagine, the kind of human he must have beenAnd that’s why, the casting of Shri Ram is next to impossibleWe can only attemptWhen Namit discussed Ranbir’s name, I too thought that he checked all the boxes.”
Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation, with Part 1 scheduled for Diwali 2026 and Part 2 for Diwali 2027The film stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, with Sunny Deol playing Hanuman.
With the makers gradually revealing more about its characters and scale, Ranbir’s preparation and his approach to Lord Ram remain an important part of the growing conversation around Ramayana.
