A measured reply before release
Actor Saurabh Sachdeva has responded to the online debate around Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, saying he is not bothered by the scrutiny and that the makers approached the epic with care. His comments come days before the first part opens worldwide on 5 November 2026.
Speaking to PTI, the actor — who plays Maricha in the two-part adaptation — said audiences now have forums to say anything, and that a film can fairly be criticised if its story and emotion are not right. The sensitivity around Ramayana, he argued, is different because religious belief and sentiment are involved. “Religious belief, religious sentiment is there, that is what is a little fragile,” he said, adding that this is why people sometimes react strongly.
“It doesn’t affect me,” Sachdeva said. He called the film “well-made” and said nothing had been added merely for effect; from what he saw while dubbing, the film felt “beautiful and right.”
Maricha’s dilemma
Maricha, the character Sachdeva plays in the mythological epic, is not a straightforward antagonist in his reading. “He is on the villain side, but he is always in a dilemma about where to stand,” Sachdeva said.
The stakes around the epic
The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. After the trailer, criticism surfaced over the visual effects and casting choices, including Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Ram.
For Bollywood Chronicle readers, this is an early indication of how the team will manage conversation once the film is in theatres. A big-budget religious adaptation is judged on emotional fidelity as much as craft.
- Part one opens worldwide on 5 November 2026.
- Part two is expected during Diwali 2027.
- Release languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Hindi cinema has a long relationship with the epics, and each new adaptation is measured against the memory of earlier screen versions. Sachdeva’s response — that the film is well-made and that the team understood the fragile nature of religious sentiment — is directed less at the effects debate than at the larger question of whether the film respects the source.
What Sachdeva expects
Sachdeva said he hopes Ramayana brings him more work and a wider audience, including recognition from Hollywood. “I think I will be known to Hollywood people also,” he said.
He also praised Tiwari as a calm, soft-spoken director whose relaxed manner is contagious, making it easier for actors to focus on their work. Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutt and Ravie Dubey round out the cast.
Source: The Times of India
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