Veteran Indian actor Mukesh Khanna has expressed reservations about the portrayal of Lord Rama in director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana, questioning the film’s action-oriented depiction of the character.
According to Indian media reports, Khanna discussed the film’s trailer in an interview and raised concerns about its action sequences and the way Lord Rama has been presented.
Referring to a scene in which Rama is shown climbing a tree and shooting arrows, Khanna argued that such an action-hero portrayal does not reflect the broader traditional image of Lord Rama as Maryada Purushottam.
Khanna said filmmakers appeared to have presented Rama more like a mainstream action star, drawing comparisons with popular actors such as Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth. He emphasized that his understanding of Lord Rama is of a calm and composed figure, citing the episode in which Rama respectfully seeks a path from the sea.
The actor also raised concerns about the film’s use of heavy visual effects.
Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Arun Govil, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh and Kajal Aggarwal are also part of the cast.
The film is planned as a two-part release.