Yash on playing Ravana in Ramayana: 'My son asked if I die or lose'

Yash may be playing Ravana in Ramayana: Part 1, but explaining the casting to his seven-year-old son, Yatharv, was not quite straightforward. Having grown up hearing the epic, the young boy had one question for his father: why was he playing Ravana and not Rama?

Yash spoke about the conversation during a recent interview with television host Suma Kanakala. The Kannada actor said his son's reaction made him think about how children understand the difference between an actor and the character he plays.

A story he already knew

Yatharv and his siblings grew up listening to the Ramayana from their grandparents, so he was familiar with the characters. The news that his father would play Ravana, rather than Rama, left him confused.

“For a son, his father is his hero,” Yash said. “Since he knows the story, he asked me, ‘You are Ravana?! How can you be Ravana? Aren’t you Rama?’ So, I said, ‘Yes, I am Rama in real life, but in the movie, I am playing Ravana.’ But he was like, ‘Then you are the bad guy.’”

From there, Yash gave his son a crash course in filmmaking. “I explained to him about cinema and acting, showing him drawings and all of that,” he said.

'Who do I root for?'

Yatharv's next question was whom he should support when watching the film.

“That was a complicated question. My fans might also have the same doubt, wondering, ‘Why is Yash doing this role?’ Especially since, in scenes like Sita Apaharan, I should not be liked,” he said.

His answer had two parts: Rama for the story, and his father for the theatre. “I told my kid in the most distinct way, ‘When we listen to the story, it is Rama whom everybody has to follow. Ravana might look glamorous, fancy, or powerful. But ultimately, if you have to win, you have to understand the essence of Rama. However, in the movie, you can root for me. But don’t take it personally.’”

Yatharv wasn’t done. “But do you die? Do you lose?” he asked. Yash again had to remind him: “Listen, I am just playing that role. It’s a different thing.”

A conversation he hadn't anticipated

Yash said he had considered how audiences and his fans might respond to his casting as Ravana, but hadn't thought much about how his own children would react.

He described the exchange as an interesting experience and said he expects Yatharv to understand the distinction between an actor and a character better as he grows older.

About the film

Ramayana: Part 1 stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita, with Ravie Dubey playing Lakshmana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is produced by Namit Malhotra, with a score by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman.

The first instalment of a planned two-part saga, the film is reportedly being made on a combined budget of Rs 4,000 crore. It is scheduled to release in cinemas on November 5.