Shiv Sagar, grandson of the late filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, has expressed clear reservations about Ranbir Kapoor portraying Lord Rama in director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming two-part film Ramayana. While acknowledging Kapoor’s ability as an actor, Sagar said he personally finds it difficult to accept him in the role, particularly after the actor’s performance in the film Animal. At the same time, he praised other major casting choices, including Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita.
The comments have drawn attention because of the Sagar family’s historic association with the epic. Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 television series Ramayan remains one of the most widely watched and culturally influential adaptations of the story in India. Any new version is inevitably measured against that benchmark, and observations from a family member carry added weight for many viewers.
Reservations About the Central Casting
Speaking about the project, Shiv Sagar stated that apart from one casting decision, he likes the rest of the ensemble. On Ranbir Kapoor, he was direct: after Animal, he cannot accept the actor as Rama. When he thinks of Lord Rama, he feels a fresh face should have been chosen. He explained that established stars often carry associations from earlier roles, and those associations can colour how audiences receive them in a part as revered as Rama.
Sagar was careful to separate his view of Kapoor’s craft from the question of image. He described Kapoor as a very good actor and said he has nothing personal against him. He also recognised the practical considerations that may have influenced the decision, noting that a star of Kapoor’s stature brings significant marketing strength. Without that star presence, he suggested, the film might not have received the same level of promotion. Even so, his own preference for mythological or historical characters of this nature remains a performer without heavy prior baggage.
Praise for Yash and Sai Pallavi
While questioning the choice for Rama, Sagar spoke positively about other key roles. He said Yash looks very good as Ravana and that Sai Pallavi looks very good as Sita. In his assessment, both actors carry less of the kind of image baggage that concerns him in Kapoor’s case. He linked this preference to the approach often taken in television serials produced in the Sagar tradition, where new faces are frequently chosen so that audiences can encounter the characters without strong preconceptions from previous films.
The distinction he drew is familiar in discussions of sacred or culturally sensitive roles. Viewers sometimes find it easier to accept an unfamiliar performer as a divine or idealised figure than an actor strongly identified with intense, morally complex or violent contemporary characters.
Context of the New Adaptation
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is planned as a large-scale, two-part cinematic retelling. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, and Yash takes on the role of Ravana. The cast also includes other prominent names, and the first part is scheduled for theatrical release in late 2026. The project has generated substantial anticipation as well as debate, much of it centred on how a contemporary star-driven film will handle material that many regard not merely as mythology but as living cultural and religious history.
Shiv Sagar’s remarks sit within that broader conversation. He has previously commented on the trailer and visual scale of the film, expressing appreciation for certain elements while maintaining his view on the central casting. His latest statements reiterate a consistent position: respect for the rest of the ensemble and reservations specifically about the image Ranbir Kapoor brings to Rama after Animal.
Audience Perception and Creative Choice
Casting debates around religious epics often turn on the tension between artistic interpretation, commercial requirements and audience sentiment. A major star can open the film to wider markets and ensure substantial visibility. At the same time, some sections of the audience approach characters such as Rama with a degree of emotional and devotional investment that makes prior screen images harder to set aside.
Sagar’s comments reflect the latter perspective. He has framed his difficulty as personal rather than a blanket judgment on Kapoor’s talent or the filmmakers’ intentions. By praising Yash and Sai Pallavi, he has also signalled that his concern is selective rather than a rejection of the project as a whole.
The Weight of a Legacy
Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan shaped how millions of Indians visualised the characters for decades. Arun Govil’s portrayal of Rama, in particular, became definitive for a generation. Against that backdrop, any new actor stepping into the role faces heightened scrutiny. Shiv Sagar’s willingness to voice his preference for a fresh face continues a family tradition of treating the epic with a sense of custodianship, even while recognising that cinema and television operate under different commercial pressures today.
Whether audiences ultimately share his difficulty in accepting Ranbir Kapoor as Rama will be tested when the film reaches theatres. For now, the grandson of the man who defined the story for television has placed his view on record: admiration for much of the casting, specific unease about the central role, and a clear preference for performers whose previous work does not, in his eyes, complicate the sacred image of Rama.
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