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Ramayana: Did you know Ranbir Kapoor initially turned down the role of Lord Rama? Guess who influenced him
During a promotional event, Ranbir Kapoor revealed he immediately said no when producer Namit Malhotra offered him the film. Read on to know what changed later.
Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana is set to entertain the audience, probably around Diwali 2026. But before that, the makers will be releasing a key asset of the film on April 2, on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. Recently, the team gave a peek into the film’s teaser, titled Rama, to an exclusive international audience in LA. Soon, they attended a promotional event in New York. At the meet, the actor revealed it was because of his daughter, Raha Kapoor, that he said yes to being part of the epic saga.
How Raha influenced Ranbir Kapoor to come on board Ramayana
During the Ramayana event in New York, Ranbir Kapoor revealed that producer Namit Malhotra offered him the role of Lord Rama around 4 years ago. But at that time, his instant reaction was ‘No, I'm not fit enough, not good enough, and I won't be able to do full justice.’
But soon, he felt grateful for the opportunity, as it was much needed in his life. Talking about that phase, the Animal actor expressed that he needed to change his life and lifestyle. “I became a father for the first time. I think the sweet coincidence of playing Lord Rama and becoming a father was needed for a turning point in my life,” Raha Kapoor’s father expressed.
Sharing more about his character, Ranbir spilled that there was a lot of preparation, not just physical, but emotional and spiritual. “I have a lot of love and respect for this part and the story of Ramayana, so when you have that inbuilt, everything falls into place,” he shared.
Back in July 2025, the team announced the film by teasing the audience with its first look. Sharing the 3-minute 3-second clip, the makers penned, “Ten years of aspiration. Relentless conviction to bring the greatest epic of all time to the world. An outcome through a collaboration of some of the world’s best to ensure that Ramayana is presented with the greatest amount of reverence and respect. Welcome to the beginning. Let’s celebrate the immortal story of Rama v/s Ravana. Our truth. Our history.”
For the unversed, Ramayana is a two-part film that features Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh, Raghav Juyal, Ravi Dubey, Lara Dutta, Vivek Oberoi, Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, and many others. While the release date of Part 1 is still under wraps, Ramayana Part 2 is currently being filmed and is expected to hit cinemas around Diwali 2027.
For more updates, stay tuned to Pinkvilla!
