Ranbir Kapoor breaks silence on playing Lord Rama in 'Ramayana' after controversial 'Animal': 'Not because I did Animal'

Dubai: “Not because I did Animal.”

That was Bollywood A-lister Ranbir Kapoor's cheeky response when Gulf News asked whether playing Lord Rama in Ramayana was a conscious departure from the dark, volatile world of Animal. After all, going from a character defined by rage and excess to the very embodiment of restraint, duty and righteousness is quite the cinematic gear shift.

But Kapoor wasn't buying the idea that his latest role was a reaction to his previous one.

“Even if it was my first movie, I believe that anybody who's a decent enough actor would have excelled in this role in this part because it's the part of Lord Rama: his teachings, his journey and his admirable life,” he said over zoom video call from London.

And that's the big ambition behind Ramayana: to take an epic that generations of Indians have grown up with and give it the kind of spectacular cinematic treatment that can travel well beyond Indian shores.

Kapoor is particularly excited about the scale of the production, pointing to the technology and international talent involved in bringing the epic to life. “We've used the technology to enhance this story. We've got the best of the worlds to come in and contribute, and I just can't wait for you know global audience to sample this,” he said.

If Kapoor is taking on the weight of playing the pious and dutiful Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi is approaching Sita without reducing her to an impossibly perfect symbol of womanhood.

Asked whether women today would relate to Sita's grace and resilience, Pallavi offered a refreshing take.

“I think women, as women, we don't limit ourselves to just drawing from one character that we play in our life. We actually play mothers, fathers, aunts -- every other role that's possible. So I think as human beings, we tend to see ourselves in different characters.”

Sai Pallavi believes audiences have plenty to discover across its female characters, adding: “So I think there's so much for us to draw from all the women in Ramayana.”

And then there's Yash, who plays the villainous and complex Ravana. Let's be honest: a fair number of moviegoers will be watching Ramayana with their eyes firmly on Ravana.

The actor knows the character comes with baggage, but he's far more interested in making audiences uncomfortable with their own assumptions than simply playing a conventional villain.

When asked whether viewers should root for Ravana, Yash had a mischievous answer: “Yeah, I'll be happy if you're conflicted because that's how life is. You cannot judge.”

He explained that audiences often judge characters by the impact of their actions, without considering the circumstances they experience. His approach was to explore Ravana's mindset and make his perspective understandable, even if viewers don't necessarily agree with him.

“Sometimes you might root for him. I think that's the beauty of it in life. Also, everybody has different points of view, and that is what makes any story interesting,” he said.

And he has a particularly interesting reason for wanting audiences to understand Ravana better.

“But if I'm able to make you understand Ravana a little better, I think it will help you understand Prabhushri Ram [Lord Ram] in a better way.”

That's quite a proposition: understand the villain, and perhaps you'll understand the hero more deeply.

As for the possibility of international awards attention like whipping up an Oscar buzz, Kapoor was quick to bring the conversation back to the film's intentions.

“I don't think that was our intention. You know, the intention was just to tell the most authentic version of Ramayan. Try and do it with sincerity, with passion.”

At the time of the interview, they had just hosted a screening in Los Angeles and peddled the movie to mostly non-Indian press.

He believes cinema should entertain audiences while making them think, rather than handing them easy answers. Awards, he suggested, would simply be an added bonus.

But beyond the scale, technology and casting, the conversation also revealed a rather nostalgic side of the trio.

Yash's childhood favourite was Hanuman, whom he remembers as his first superhero. “You could change shapes, you could fly, and I love character of Anjunaya, we call it Anjanaya in South,” he recalled.

Pallavi, meanwhile, was curious about Janaka Maharaj, Sita's father. Kapoor's earliest memories came from watching Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan every Sunday morning, particularly its spectacular flying arrows and the dramatic depiction of Surpanakha.

For a generation raised on that television classic, those images clearly left an impression.

And perhaps that's the real balancing act for this new Ramayana: keeping the nostalgia alive while making an ancient epic feel cinematic, accessible and relevant to a global audience.

With Kapoor embracing Rama, Pallavi bringing her interpretation of Sita and Yash promising a Ravana who might just leave viewers conflicted, the familiar story could have a few new talking points.

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Ramayana is out in UAE cinemas on November 14