Anjali Arora as Maa Sita in Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha; unhappy fans call it 'pure mockery', 'next Adipurush'

Social media influencer Anjali Arora, who rose to fame with the viral dance number Kacha Badam and was also part of Lock Upp, has found herself at the centre of criticism following the teaser launch of Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha. The actor, who was seen dancing at a pub a few years ago, is now set to portray Mata Sita in the upcoming mythological film.

The makers released the teaser on Tuesday, introducing Dev Sharma as Lord Ram, Sheel Verma as Lakshman, Nirbhay Wadhwa as Lord Hanuman and Anjali Arora as Sita. Soon after its release, social media users questioned the casting choice, with some calling it "offensive" and "pure mockery."

Several users also accused the filmmakers of trying to cash in on the hype surrounding Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana, but claimed that the move had backfired. The teaser also drew comparisons with Prabhas' Adipurush, further fuelling the online debate surrounding the film.

One user commented, "I don't know why but I think Namita Malhotra is the unofficial producer of this movie to make the hype wince his movie was trolled due to some errors."

Another user wrote, "Ah! kya acting hai Ram ji aise hans rahe hai jaise picnic manane ja rahe hai. Lo cast kar liya new actors.. Jao Blockbuster bana do iss movie ko."

One user criticised the film, writing, "Trying to sell everything in the name of Prabhu Ram. I'm done with these gimmicks. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is making another Ramayan. Our Sanatan Dharma is vast, ancient, and filled with countless stories waiting to be told. If I want to watch Ramayan, I'll watch Ramanand Sagar's OG."

Another user wrote, "She's Anjali Arora portraying Maa Sita, she's famous for her ....... I can't even say. Ban this movie ASAP they're doing just for minting some money. They don't have any faith or they don't even know single thing about Ramayan. Boycott this shameless people."

Several other Reddit users also criticised the casting. One wrote, "Blasphemy." Another commented, "My blood boils seriously, isn't this very offensive, how did the makers do this and she be acting in Maa Sita role, I don't usually get angry on films casting and all, but this is pure mockery of our beliefs. Ban this shit."

A Reddit user called it "Next Adipurush in line," while another said, "They have made a joke of Ramayana." However, some of Anjali's fans also expressed excitement over her casting and praised her look in the teaser.

Om Raut's Adipurush, which was also based on the Ramayana, faced immense backlash upon release over its slang-heavy dialogues and characterisation. The film was also criticised for taking several creative liberties with the epic.

Directed by Abhishek Singh, Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha is produced by Prakash Mahobuya and Sanjay Bundela under the banner of Mahobiya Film Production. The mythological film is scheduled to arrive in theatres on September 25.