Saurabh Sachdeva who plays Maricha in the film opens up on 'Ramayana'

Actor Saurabh Sachdeva has opened up about the experience of working on Nitesh Tiwari's 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend', sharing details about the film's technology, performances and creative process.In an interview with Variety, the actor discussed the responsibility of portraying characters from the epic and explained how the director helped the cast follow a unified interpretation.

He also praised his co-star Yash and revealed that he would like to play Duryodhan in a screen adaptation of 'Mahabharata'.Saurabh Sachdeva essays Marich (Maricha), a significant character in the mythological drama featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash. Casting director

Mukesh Chhabra

auditioned him for the part. The actor said he was delighted when he learned that he had been selected. The scale of the production and the technology involved also made him curious about the project.

Saurabh Sachdeva on joining 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend'

"I don’t think any actor would refuse a project like “Ramayana: Part 1.” Casting director Mukesh Chhabra auditioned me for the role of Marich (Maricha). I was very excited when I found out that I had been cast. I was curious to see what kind of technology they were using. The entire team was fantastic."

Nitesh Tiwari helped the cast follow one vision

Saurabh Sachdeva also spoke about the discussions surrounding the film's interpretation of the epic. During his preparation, he read different versions of the 'Ramayana' and realized that Marich could be portrayed in several ways.

However, Nitesh Tiwari had a clear understanding of how he wanted the characters presented. The actor said following one creative direction was essential to ensuring the film remained consistent, amid some mixed reviews coming in after the release."We knew this would happen. There are different versions of “Ramayan” and people can debate on that too. While researching for my role, I read different versions, which made me realize I could play it in multiple ways.

But then, Nitesh Tiwari said, "You have to play it this way because that’s how I want it to be." I realized that if everyone stuck to their version, the final output could be very different. We didn't want to spoil the film or disrespect the faith.He was like our North Star, guiding us. He was clear about what he wanted. While I could play Marich in a certain manner, playing Lord Rama and Sita was the toughest job. People have their perceptions, which makes it difficult.

For me, I still had the leverage to change my body, voice and attitude. ."

Actor identifies the challenge of portraying Rama and Sita

The actor believes the expectations surrounding Lord Rama and Goddess Sita made their portrayals particularly demanding. Unlike Marich, whose physicality and mannerisms offered room for interpretation, these revered figures come with established public perceptions. He acknowledged that Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi had a more challenging responsibility because of the characters they portray.

Saurabh Sachdeva wants to play Duryodhan

Beyond 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend', Saurabh Sachdeva has another mythological character in mind. The actor expressed interest in portraying Duryodhan in 'Mahabharata'. He believes his experience with physical performance techniques could help him approach the role with a distinctive body language."I would love to play Duryodhan in “Mahabharata.” I am trained in mask work (a theatrical technique where actors wear literal or symbolic masks to develop physical awareness) and body work.

This gives me a certain kind of body language. I feel I have the voice and the eyes to play the part."

Saurabh Sachdeva recalls working with Yash

Speaking about sharing screen space with Yash, the actor described him as energetic, disciplined and attentive to even the smallest details. He also recalled the physical demands of wearing the elaborate costumes and jewellery. Although the authentic materials added to the look, their weight made filming difficult.

The cold jewellery, stored in air-conditioned rooms, presented another challenge. Playing Marich, however, was an enjoyable experience because the character's shapeshifting nature allowed him to experiment physically."Yash is an energetic person. He is committed to the task at hand and does not want to give up on anything, however small it might be. He just wanted to leave an impact, which he has done with aplomb.

He said, ‘I don’t settle for anything. I don’t want to settle for anything.’ He was very humble and respectful. I also maintained that demeanor.The difficult part was managing the costume, as it was very heavy. The jewelry was made from real materials. They wanted to keep it authentic, but it was quite a load. The pieces were kept in air-conditioned rooms, and they were really cold when we wore them. For me, that was the hardest aspect of the shoot. The fun part was the character of Marich (Maricha), who is a huge catalyst in the story. He is a shapeshifter, so I knew I had to play with my body.

"Meanwhile, 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend' has crossed the Rs 1,000 cr worldwide milestone. The film collected Rs 1,033.55 cr within eight days, becoming the 11th Indian film to achieve the feat.