A new behind-the-scenes video released on Ranbir Kapoor's 44th birthday on September 28 shows the actor preparing to step into the role of Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, with Kapoor describing Arun Govil — the actor who immortalised Rama in the 1987 television classic Ramayan and plays Dasharatha in the new film — as "the iconic Lord Ram for all of us."The nearly five-and-a-half-minute video, released by the film's makers, traces Kapoor's transformation into the epic hero. In it, the actor quotes a line of Govil's that stayed with him: "Kshama Dharma, Kshama Yagya, Kshama Veda, Sanatana" — forgiveness is duty, forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness is knowledge, eternal.
"Bhagwan Ram ki sabse badi shakti unka Dhanush nahi tha; woh unki Kshama thi," Kapoor says in the video, explaining that Rama's greatest strength was not his bow but his capacity to forgive. "Yeh role nahi hai. It's not ki mujhe ek film offer hui hai aur yeh ek role exciting hai... yeh ek zimmedari hai," he adds — this is not just an exciting role, it is a responsibility.
The video also features director Nitesh Tiwari and co-stars Sai Pallavi, who plays Sita, Arun Govil himself, and Ravie Dubey, who plays Laxman, speaking about Kapoor taking on the mantle for a new generation.
Kapoor will also be seen playing Lord Parshuram, one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu, in the two-part epic. The ensemble cast includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Yash, in his Bollywood debut, as Ravana, alongside Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Indira Krishnan and Lara Dutta. The screenplay is co-written by Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan, with music composed by Oscar winners AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Part 1 is slated for a worldwide release on November 6, 2026, with the India release a few days later, and the second part a year later on Diwali.
Sources: Times Now