'Good human being': Arun Govil lauds 'Ramayana' co-star Ranbir
What's the story
Veteran actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's iconic TV series Ramayan, has praised the upcoming film adaptation of the Hindu epic. He also endorsed lead actor Ranbir Kapoor, saying only a "good actor and a good human being" can convincingly play God on screen. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film also stars Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita.
Actor's endorsement
Govil on the upcoming 'Ramayana'
Speaking to PTI at a recent event, Govil said, "The Ramayana by Nitesh Tiwari looks very good. It has been made with a lot of hard work by Tiwari, the actors and the entire team." He added that Kapoor is looking "very good" as Lord Ram. "He is a good actor and good human being," Govil said.
Actor's perspective
Govil plays King Dasharatha in the movie
Govil, who plays Lord Ram's father, King Dasharatha, in the upcoming film, stressed that to play God, one must have a "good, pure soul" and be a good human being. He also spoke about the importance of appearance in such roles. "To play a God, you've to have a good, pure soul...the look is very important," he said.
Film differentiation
Comparisons with other adaptations
Govil also addressed inevitable comparisons between different adaptations of Ramayana. He said, "Comparisons are always made when a standard is set, and no one should feel bad that I'm being compared." However, he dismissed any attempts to draw parallels between the upcoming Ramayana and the 2023 film Adipurush. "There is a lot of difference between Ramayana and Adipurush," he added. Directed by Om Raut, Adipurush received intense backlash for its subpar portrayal of revered Hindu figures and its cinematic liberties.
Film details
More about the film
Govil, who completed his work on the film long ago, said he had a "good" experience working with the entire team. The two-part live-action saga is being produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios and DNEG in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations. The first part is slated to release worldwide in IMAX during Diwali 2026, followed by part two on Diwali 2027. It also stars Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta, and Ravie Dubey.