Ranbir Kapoor says ‘no creative freedom’ in playing Rama in Ramayana: ‘Filled with fear’
As Ramayana: Part One releases in theatres worldwide today, November 5, Ranbir Kapoor has opened up about the challenges of playing Lord Rama, admitting that there is little room for creative freedom when portraying god on screen. The actor said he had to overcome his fears and insecurities to take on the role.
In a conversation with BBC Asian Network, Ranbir and his co-star Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita, discussed the responsibility of bringing mythological characters to the screen and the creative boundaries that come with portraying figures worshipped by millions.
Explaining how playing characters from an ancient text differs from performing in contemporary films, Ranbir said the actors had to remain faithful to the source material rather than exercise the kind of creative freedom they might enjoy with fictional characters.
“If I’m playing a character like in Animal or Brahmastra, there’s a certain amount of creative freedom. But here, the text has been written thousands of years ago, so you try to stick to it,” he said.
The actor added that one of the biggest challenges was shutting out the constant fear of offending people or failing to meet the expectations of different communities.
“You have to drown out those inner voices of fear. Thoughts about whether you are going to please one community or another can creep into your work. You have to believe in the story, have devotion towards it and then keep your performance simple,” he explained.
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‘I was filled with fear’: Ranbir on playing Lord Rama
Ranbir also spoke about the tendency to become overly conscious of one’s appearance and mannerisms when playing gods
“When you know you are playing gods, there is a certain way you are expected to perform. You become conscious of how you look, how you walk and how you carry yourself. Suddenly, you can start taking yourself too seriously,” he said.
Asked whether he felt a sense of imposter syndrome while playing a character known for his moral righteousness, Ranbir admitted that self-doubt had initially overwhelmed him.
“Absolutely. That’s exactly what happened to me. I was filled with fear. I wondered whether I was too old for the role and whether I would be able to do justice to it. I had so many insecurities and questions about myself. But the opportunity was right in front of me, and I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was also very aware of the kind of reactions it would invite,” he said.
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Ranbir also believes that the key to portraying mythological figures is to make them relatable to audiences.
“You have to make them believable as human beings. Give them vulnerability and real emotions,” he said.
Sai Pallavi says her spiritual upbringing shaped her portrayal of Sita
Sai Pallavi said that her spiritual upbringing influenced her approach to playing Sita. She described the film as an opportunity to learn something beyond her understanding of herself as an actor.
“I have had a spiritual upbringing, and every time I do a film, I learn something from it. Sometimes, it brings out a side of me that I didn’t even know existed. With Ramayana, I felt the responsibility was on God to teach me something much bigger than what I had learnt so far,” she said.
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The actor added that she did not want to approach the role simply as Sai Pallavi trying to deliver her best performance. Instead, she wanted to surrender herself to the character.
“I didn’t want to be Saipalvi trying to make her best out of this and trying to perform a certain way. So I think even as Seeta ma, I had to play a certain role. And I did it the way that I think it should be played or God wanted,” she said.
About Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana: Part One is the first instalment of a two-part cinematic adaptation of the ancient Indian epic. The film brings together an ensemble cast, with Ranbir Kapoor playing Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
Mounted on a large scale with an international audience in mind, the project is produced by Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. It also marks a notable musical collaboration between Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, while DNEG is handling the film’s visual effects. The film has been shot for IMAX and is releasing worldwide across multiple languages.
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The first instalment arrives in cinemas on November 5, with the second chapter planned to release in 2028.
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