Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor is set to step into the role of Lord Rama in filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming epic Ramayana, renewing a family connection to the revered character nearly 93 years after his great-grandfather first brought the role to the screen.
Decades before Ranbir Kapoor entered the film industry, his great-grandfather, the legendary Prithviraj Kapoor, portrayed Lord Rama in the 1934 Bengali film Seeta. Directed by Debaki Bose and produced by the East India Film Company, the film stands as one of the earliest screen adaptations of the Ramayana and a significant milestone in Indian cinema.
The parallel between the two performances has now become a talking point among film enthusiasts reminiscing how Ranbir Kapoor's casting not only marks a major moment in his career but also revives a legacy that dates back to the early years of Indian filmmaking.
Prithviraj Kapoor's Movie Seeta
Seeta was a Bengali talkie film during a time when Indian cinema was shifting from silent tales to linguistic storytelling. Seeta became an important medium for mythological storytelling to the Indian masses. The film featured Mazhar Khan, Gul Hamid, Prihtiviraj Kapoor as Lord Rama, Durga Khote as Sita, and Trilok Kapoor as Lord Rama's son Lava. It also starred Indubala as Dhatri.
Additionally, the film marked an achievement for Indian cinema, as it was screened at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival in 1934. It also won an award and made history as the first Indian talkie to be recodnised and honoured at the international level.
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Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana
Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana teaser was released on Hanuman Jayanti on April 2, 2026. The 2.5-minute teaser gave a glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor in the divine avatar of Lord Rama. The movie also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman.
Sharing the teaser on his social media, Namit Malhotra gave an introduction to Lord Rama. He captioned the post as, "Rama is the greatest of all time because he lived a life where the choices he made were always in the benefit of the greater good, duty over desire, and sacrifice over self. His legacy continues to enhance and empower humanity over time and bring the belief in the goodness of the human spirit to resolve all conflict and bring peace to the world." [sic]
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana is set to release in two parts. While Ramayana Part 1 will release on Diwali 2026, part two is scheduled for a Diwali 2027 release.
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