‘Saif Ali Khan was very good as Ravana’: ‘Mahabali’ actor Aarya Babbar defends ‘Adipurush’ actor, says Yash’s ‘Ramayana’ look lacks novelty beyond the costumes and resembles his ‘KGF’ appearance | Hindi Movie News
Aarya Babbar has weighed in on Saif Ali Khan’s portrayal of Ravana in ‘Adipurush’ and Yash’s upcoming interpretation of the demon king in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’. While Babbar praised Saif’s performance and argued that actors should not be blamed for a director’s creative choices, he questioned the novelty of Yash’s first revealed look, saying it reminded him of the actor’s appearance in the ‘KGF’ franchise. Babbar, who will portray Ravana in the theatrical production ‘Mahabali’, clarified that it is too early to judge Yash’s performance.
Aarya Babbar says Saif Ali Khan was good as Ravana in ‘Adipurush’
Speaking to Variety India, Aarya Babbar praised Saif Ali Khan’s performance as Ravana in ‘Adipurush’, while emphasising the influence a director’s interpretation has on an actor’s portrayal of a character.“I think Saif was very good as Ravana. An actor is only as good as the director’s perception and interpretation. So whatever he played in ‘Adipurush’ is also something what the director must have made him perform. But he brought about a different kind of intensity to the character,” Babbar said.The actor added that mythological figures carry a deeper cultural and emotional significance for audiences, and performers must approach such roles with that responsibility in mind.“We should understand them not just as characters, but as emotionally, traditionally woven into our people’s hearts. These are those characters that we are getting to play and that is how we should approach them. That is how we should show them,” he said.Babbar also reiterated that Saif should not be held responsible for the film’s creative decisions.“His performance, his look, everything was a director’s interpretation. You cannot blame the actor for that,” he said.
Aarya Babbar says Yash’s ‘Ramayana’ look reminds him of ‘KGF’
Babbar was more critical when discussing Yash’s first revealed look as Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’. While he acknowledged that it was too early to assess the actor’s performance, he felt the look did not offer much novelty beyond the costumes.“Honestly, it’s too early to comment on what he’s bringing to the character. I did not honestly feel that there is anything new in his look except the costumes. It’s pretty much the same beard that he’s had in ‘KGF’ before. It is not a new look per se that I’ve seen in ‘Ramayana’. I saw a new look of his in ‘Toxic’. I did not see it in this,” Babbar said.However, he clarified that his observation concerned the initial look and should not be taken as a verdict on Yash’s performance in the film.“I’m really hoping the way he’s performed, that would be perhaps very good. Perhaps in the whole film, I’ll see a different Yash. For now, it pretty much looks like what I’ve already seen in ‘KGF’,” he added.Babbar also suggested that the scale and creative approach of the upcoming adaptation reflect an ambition to reach audiences beyond India.“Yash is playing it for an international audience, not just for an Indian audience. And it’s visible with what Mr. Tiwari is doing,” he said.
Aarya Babbar promises a layered portrayal of Ravana in ‘Mahabali’
While discussing the two screen portrayals, Babbar also spoke about his own interpretation of Ravana in the theatrical production ‘Mahabali’. He credited director Kulvinder Bakshish Singh, writer Ashutosh Dwivedi and the production team for shaping a version of the character that explores his complexities beyond the conventional image of a villain.“More than what my interpretation of Ravana is, it is the interpretation of my director, writer (Ashutosh Dwivedi) and the production that we are doing in ‘Mahabali’. Ravana has never been portrayed and shown with the depth and the complex layers that our director Kulvinder Bakshish Singh is portraying through me,” he said.Babbar recalled playing Ravana on television and in a Ramlila performance, describing those earlier portrayals as darker and more straightforward.“I have gotten an opportunity to perform Ravana even before on television, but he was an out-and-out dark character. I’ve also played Ravana before for a Ramlila performance. Again, it was very massy. It was very dark. This is the first time that I’m portraying Ravana” with a different complexity.He expressed confidence that the production would offer audiences a fresh perspective on the character.“I am very sure they have never seen a Ravana character written with such emotion and with such layering that they will see in this show,” he said.
‘There is empathy to this Ravan’: Aarya Babbar on exploring the character’s different shades
Babbar believes that Ravana is often portrayed through a limited set of characteristics, leaving little room to explore his emotional and spiritual dimensions. In ‘Mahabali’, he said, the writing and direction have allowed him to approach the character differently.“They always show him only with these one or two shades. But over here, because the director and the writers have approached Ravan in a very different style; as an actor, I have got an opportunity to show him in a different light. There is empathy to this Ravan. There is a different shade to this Ravan. There is Bhakti Bhavana to this Ravan.”The actor also teased a major revelation about Ravana that audiences may not expect.“There is a very big secret of Ravan that unfolds in our story, which perhaps very few in the audience know about,” he said.Explaining Ravana’s significance in a narrative told from Hanuman’s perspective, Babbar said the demon king’s actions influence the emotions and decisions of the other characters.“Every character goes through a different emotion in the story. Every single thing Ravana does, influences how all the other characters behave, act and react. He is the catalyst for all their actions and emotions,” he explained.Babbar concluded by highlighting how his production’s interpretation differs from the two screen adaptations.“The Ravan we have created together as a team, is absolutely different than whatever you’ve seen in ‘Adipurush’ and whatever you’re going to be seeing in ‘Ramayan’,” he said.
Aarya Babbar, Yash and Saif Ali Khan on the respective work fronts
Aarya Babbar is set to portray Ravana in ‘Mahabali’, a theatrical production that aims to explore the character through emotional complexity, empathy and devotion. Yash, meanwhile, will play Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’ slated for a release on November 5. Saif Ali Khan was last seen in the Priyadarshan thriller ‘Haiwaan’ alongside Akshay Kumar.
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