Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana was released in theatres on November 5 and has received a positive response from critics, fans and internet users. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The lead actors have been receiving appreciation for their portrayals of the iconic characters from the epic.
When Ranbir was initially announced to play Lord Ram, the casting choice was met with scepticism. However, following the film's release, opinions appear to have changed. Ranbir's portrayal of Ram seems to have won over fans, critics and netizens.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
Internet users are now comparing Kapoor's performance with Arun Govil's iconic portrayal of Ram in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana. Some have even gone a step further, claiming that Ranbir is a better Ram than Govil. Here are some of the posts from X.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
After watching Ramayana, I am full agree with Ranbir Kapoor as lord Ram 🙏 I know there is no comparison between Arun govil and Ranbir Kapoor but Ranbir Kapoor me according you justified this Role 🥺 Full goosebumps 🥹🥳 did you watched Ramayana?? #RamayanaMovie #RamayanaPart1
— Aditya (@adityawrte) November 6, 2026
Arun Govil as Ram is like Virat Kohli as a T20 batter, repeated PR hype and nostalgia have convinced people to glorify them beyond reality. But deep down, people know the reality. Calm, composed, dignified, and warrior-like, Ranbir Kapoor has portrayed Lord Ram with a divine aura and the true essence of Maryada Purushottam that, in my opinion, Arun Govil's portrayal lacked. Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram >>> Arun Govil as Ram.
— Jyran (@Jyran45) November 5, 2026
Said this back then, and I'll say it again today: Ranbir Kapoor is the perfect casting choice for Lord Ram. His portrayal has the potential to be so iconic that the next generation could associate Lord Ram with Ranbir Kapoor just as the previous generation has always associated him with Arun Govil ji.
— isHaHaHa (@hajarkagalwa) November 5, 2026
As lord RAM: Ranbir kapoor>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Arun govil
— Zingoor (@Zingoorr) November 5, 2026
After watching Ramayan Part 1, I can say that Arun Govil as Ram is highly overrated I'll rate: Ranbir as Ram - 9.5/10 Arun as Ram- 4/10 https://t.co/pM2gfdL09P
— Shreyanshi Singh 🍀 (@thenicks_7) November 5, 2026
@PanIndiaReview Bhai Ranbir Kapoor completely mogged Arun Govil in terms of acting. Arun Govil used to have the same expression throughout but the range of emotions Ranbir Kapoor displayed on his face is simply unmatched.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒌 𝑲𝒐𝒖𝒍 (@Retik_Koul) November 5, 2026
@PanIndiaReview I think the screen time matters a lot. A TV show has a lot of time and you spend a lot of time with the actors to make a connection that is really difficult to break in just 3 hours. But I think Ranbir Kapoor definitely has done a better job than Arun Govil
— Kapil Bamotriya (@bamotriya_kapil) November 5, 2026
Controversial take: Nobody today could play Lord Ram better than Ranbir Kapoor. Even the legendary Arun Govil ji would've faced trolling if the internet had existed back then. It's just the nostalgia factor that makes us regard his portrayal as the “greatest” portrayal of Lord Ram. #Ramayana https://t.co/Lc0Cnn0TB8
— Aditya (@limitlessadi_) October 30, 2026
Interestingly, Kapoor had also received Govil's approval even before the film's release. In a behind-the-scenes video shared by the Ramayana team on Govil's birthday in September, the veteran actor explained why he believed Ranbir was the perfect choice for the role. Govil plays King Dashrath, Lord Ram's father, in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.
Speaking about Ranbir playing Lord Ram, Govil said, "What I had imagined—that Ram would walk like this, sit like this, look like this and speak like this—I can see all those qualities in him. Normally you don't expect that a star would come and touch your feet, but he always does that."
He further explained why he felt the casting was perfect, saying, "Among all the young stars who are available at the moment, Ranbir Kapoor is the closest to play Lord Rama."
The video also featured producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari and other cast members discussing Ranbir's portrayal of Lord Ram. It also offered a glimpse into the actor's transformation into the character.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part cinematic adaptation of one of India's most revered epics. It is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind. The film's action team includes Terry Notary and Guy Norris.
The cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharath, Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya, Sonal Jha as Sumitra and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi. Other key cast members include Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, Anupam Kher as Jatayu, Kunal Kapoor as Indra, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva and Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari.
The film's music has been composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman. The screenplay has been written by Sridhar Raghavan and Nitesh Tiwari, who has also co-written the dialogues with Shreyas Jain.
The first instalment was released on November 5, 2026, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. The Indian theatrical version has a runtime of 3 hours and 15 minutes.
The second part of the film is slated for release in 2028.
ALSO READ: Ramayana Movie Is Out... And So Are The Memes: Here Are Some Funny Ones
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
