Before Ranbir, this Kapoor family member played Lord Ram
What's the story
As we got a look at Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana on Thursday, Ranbir Kapoor's portrayal of Lord Rama received laurels online. Kapoor will become the latest Indian actor to have taken on this iconic role. Interestingly, the first major talkie adaptation of Ramayana also featured a member of the Kapoor family in the lead role- Prithviraj Kapoor. The film was both a commercial and critical success, launching several careers.
Historical significance
About 'Seeta' (1934)
In 1934, just three years after the advent of talkies in India, filmmaker Debaki Bose released Seeta. This film, based on the Uttar Kaand of Ramayana, was among the first Bengali talkies and later enjoyed a Hindi release as well. It became one of the earliest major films to transcend language barriers, per Hindustan Times. Notably, Seeta made history by premiering at the Venice Film Festival that same year, making it India's first talkie to achieve this feat.
Cast highlights
The film's cast and the beginning of an era
The film Seeta featured a young Durga Khote in the lead role, marking her debut in Bollywood after working exclusively in Marathi cinema. She would later become a prominent character artist in Hindi films such as Mughal-e-Azam, Bobby, Karz, and Abhimaan. The film also starred 28-year-old Prithviraj as Lord Rama. By this time, he had already achieved fame with Alam Ara and cemented his status as one of the top stars of the period.
Family legacy
A legacy of the Kapoor family
Prithviraj's younger brother, Trilok Kapoor, played Luv in one of his early film roles. The two actors were the first members of the Kapoor family to enter the film industry. Prithviraj's sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor, would later become superstars in their own right. Ranbir, who will soon be seen as Lord Rama in Tiwari's Ramayana, is Raj's grandson.
Film details
About the upcoming 'Ramayana'
The new Ramayana film is directed by Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra. Apart from Kapoor as Lord Rama, it also stars Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshmana, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanumana. The first part releases in theaters this Diwali, with part two set to release next year.