All eyes are on Ranbir Kapoor's upcoming film Ramayana. Ever since the announcement teaser was dropped, netizens have been waiting with bated breath to see a full glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram. The stakes are high, and so are the expectations.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the magnum opus features not only Ranbir in the role of Lord Ram but also a stellar cast. Maa Sita is essayed by Sai Pallavi, Yash will portray Ravana, and Hanuman's role will be played by Sunny Deol.
The film is being produced by Namit Malhotra. Ever since the first teaser was released, fans and celebs have shared their two cents on whether Ranbir is apt for playing Lord Ram. Many alleged that since Ranbir has, at times, admitted to eating beef and drinking and smoking, how could he essay the role of Lord Ram?
However, not just Ranbir, but many celebs who have worked with him have shared that he has changed his lifestyle and habits to transform and truly live the character.
Sadhguru defends Ranbir Kapoor
Amid the massive backlash and chatter, spiritual guru Sadhguru also weighed in and shared whether Ranbir is apt to essay the role of Lord Ram. During a recent conversation with the film's producer, Namit Malhotra, Sadhguru advised Ranbir Kapoor to transform himself for the movie.
He said, "If they have sense, they should become a little like Maryada Purushottam. 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."
Indirectly talking about the ongoing questions raised about Ranbir Kapoor's casting as Ram, Namit highlighted how people pull out things that the actor did many years ago, and question the casting, to which Sadhguru said, "It is not a fair judgment of an actor because he acted in some way. He acted in a certain role, let's say being Ram. You expect him to become fully Ram; no, tomorrow in another movie, he may act as Ravana. So, that is a professional actor, but at the same time, your movie runs because of people, not because of actors. Let's get this right. So, their expectations cannot be completely brushed aside."
The spiritual leader cited the example of Telugu superstar N. T. Rama Rao and added, "There was N. T. Rama Rao in Telugu films, whom 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 still is."
Sadhguru calls Yash handsome, asks why he is essaying role of Ravana
The producer shared, "When we were going through the establishment of this whole universe, it felt like a very important part in terms of casting. In fact, I was on the lookout for who would be the ideal Ravana."
The spiritual leader said, "I don't know how Yash became Ravana. I know him very well. A villain always means he has a blunt nose and a huge stature. Yash is a handsome man."
Namit explained, "It is because we were almost looking at a superstar-level person to come in and play that role. He is very handsome and a very talented star in the country, and incredibly loved. So, the whole idea was how to try him? The idea was that there had to be a lot of shades of Ravana in terms of why he was who he was."
Recently, Ravi Dubey on Ranveer Allahabadia's podcast showered praise on Ranbir Kapoor and shared that he has sacrificed a lot for his role in Ramayana. Speaking on the podcast, Ravi Dubey revealed how he transformed himself for the role of Laxman.
He said, "I had to transform myself to do justice to it because the audience can easily tell when you are faking it. I completely altered my routine. In fact, all of us did, including Ranbir Kapoor. He has sacrificed so much for this film. This feels more like a yagya. We all did everything in our power to stay true to these characters, in how we behave, react, and even speak."
He added, "Ranbir has an incredible aura. He's quiet, graceful, and deeply committed. He carries a very soft energy, and I think that's something everyone who meets him would feel. Yash, on the other hand, is an extremely friendly person, very warm and genuine. Both of them are very different, yet equally kind-hearted."
In September this year, it was reported that Ranbir has decided to adopt certain lifestyle changes for Ramayana. Reportedly, the actor is focusing on a strict sattvic diet, early workouts, and meditation to embody the spiritual discipline of the character. He has not only quit alcohol but also turned vegetarian.
Ramayana Part 1 is eyeing a Diwali 2026 release.
