Sadhguru on Ranbir Kapoor’s casting in Ramayana: 'If you act like Rama in a movie, I expect you to have some…'

Sadhguru recently spoke with Ramayana film producer Namit Malhotra, sharing insights on the challenges actors face when portraying Lord Rama. He addressed the 'unrealistic' expectations actors encounter and offered straightforward advice, encouraging actors to transform themselves into the roles they play.

Namit Malhotra mentions actors facing pressure in playing their roles

Namit Malhotra, producer of the Ramayana film, recently met with Sadhguru at the Isha Foundation, discussing the epic and more. Their conversation was shared on the film's official YouTube channel, offering a glimpse into their thoughts on the project.

Namit Malhotra mentioned that actors playing Lord Rama, Hanuman, and Sita face pressure to embody these iconic characters, essentially becoming them in the eyes of the audience. Sadhguru responded, If they have sense, they should become. It’s an opportunity that you get to play the role of Rama, so you'd better transform yourself. When will you do it in your life? At the same time, there will be a certain unrealistic expectation.

Sadhguru on bringing character’s essence in real life

Sadhguru praised NT Rama Rao's approach to playing Lord Rama, noting how the Telugu cine icon embodied the character's essence in his films. He added, There was NT Rama Rao in Telugu films, who people worshipped as Krishna because he played him in some 15-16 movies. They put huge cutouts of him playing the flute, and he won the election outright. At one time, it was absolutely so. To some extent, it is still there. If you act like Rama in a movie, I expect you to have some gentleness. But it’s unfair to the actor because, after all, it’s a profession. He’s just acting. Hope acting like Rama brings some elements of him into the actor, which will be wonderful for him.

Sadhguru on Ranbir Kapoor facing backlash for being casted in the film

Namit Malhotra mentioned that some fans are critical of Ranbir Kapoor's casting, citing his past roles or statements. Sadhguru responded, emphasizing the importance of transformation and growth, both as an actor and an individual, suggesting that playing Lord Rama is an opportunity for Ranbir to elevate himself.

It is not a fair judgment because he acted in some way (in the past). Tomorrow, in another movie, he may act as Ravana. That is a professional actor. But at the same time, your movie runs because of people, not because of actors or directors. So, their expectations cannot be completely brushed aside. It’s a very onerous expectation, but I think the actor and director making Ramayana should imbibe a bit of Ram’s quality.

About the film

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana is a highly anticipated two-part film, boasting an impressive cast including Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. Produced by Namit Malhotra, it's set to be India's most expensive production. The first part hits theaters on Diwali 2026, with the second part following on Diwali 2027.