Ramanand Sagar’s grandson reacts to Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana’ casting; says actor is ‘more Krishna than Rama’ |

Ranbir Kapoor’s casting as Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana‘ sparked debate online with many hailing the casting choice with several others voicing their criticism. Although the film is just months away from its release, the debate about the actor’s casting gained traction once again, this time, as Shiv Sagar, the grandson of legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, shared his reservations about the same.

Shiv Sagar on reservations about Ranbir Kapoor’s as Lord Rama casting

Ramanand Sagar, was best known for creating the iconic 1987 television series ‘Ramayan’. In a conversation with Variety India, Shiv explained that his reservations about Kapoor’s casting, stating that he thought the actor was more suitable for a role as Lord Krishna instead of Lord Rama. While insisting that his thoughts about the matter were ‘personal’, he explained, “For me, Lord Ram represents Maryada Purushottam – the epitome of virtue, dignity, restraint and ideal conduct. My understanding of Lord Rama is quite different from that of Lord Krishna, who is playful, mischievous and full of leela, whereas Ram carries a certain gravity, discipline and serenity.”Clarifying that his comments were not a reflection of Kapoor’s acting abilities, he further added, “I feel Ranbir has qualities as an actor that could perhaps lend themselves very well to a character like Lord Krishna, but when I visualize Lord Rama, I see someone much more restrained, serious and inwardly composed. It is not a comment on Ranbir’s abilities as an actor; it is about the particular image and temperament I associate with Lord Rama.“

Shiv Sagar reveals connection to Kapoor family

Despite his reservations about the casting, Shiv shared that his family has had a longstanding connection with the Kapoor family He said he said, “On a serious note, there is mutual respect between our families, and I have absolutely no personal issue with Ranbir.”When asked about Ranbir acknowledging his grandfather’s role in bringing ‘Ramayana’ to screens, he said, “I genuinely appreciated that. Our families actually go back a long way. Prithviraj Kapoor gave my grandfather one of his earliest breaks as a writer in the Hindi film industry, with Barsaat (1949).”Besides revealing that their grandparents were set to work on a project that eventually didn’t materialise, he shared, “My sister, Shabnam Gupta, designed Ranbir and Alia’s home in Bandra. So, our families have interacted and shared mutual respect for several generations.”

Shiv Sagar on Arun Govil playing King Dasharath

Arun Govil, who became synonymous with Lord Rama through Sagar’s ‘Ramayan’, will be seen playing the role of King Dasharath, Rama’s father, in Tiwari’s upcoming film. In the chat, Shiv clarified that he did not believe Govil was the only actor capable of playing the role. “There may have been other actors who could have brought something wonderful to the role,” he said, and went on to add, “But I do understand the thinking behind the casting. Having Arunji associated with the project is also a way of acknowledging his extraordinary connection with ‘Ramayan’ and the audience.”Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Arun Govil as Dasharath. The film is slated for a worldwide theatrical release in Indai on November 8, on the occasion of Diwali.