Ranbir Kapoor has opened up about the pressure of portraying Lord Rama in Ramayana, admitting he battled self-doubt and fear while preparing for one of the most significant roles of his career.
When Ramayana's first look introduced the Animal star as Lord Rama, the actor won praise from fans, but now he revealed that he initially struggled with fear and self-doubt before finding gratitude in the role.
At San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, Kapoor joined co-star Yash, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra for a Ramayana panel, where he reflected on portraying Lord Rama.
He responded, “I remember when the film was first offered to me, there was so much of fear, so much of doubt. 'Will I be able to do this, am I capable enough?' But I think that doubt changed into gratitude very early on. I think it was a blessing, an opportunity of a lifetime, and a moral responsibility.”
Kapoor mentioned, “The Ramayana is ingrained in our subconscious. Lord Rama is the conscience keeper of millions of people around the world for generations, for more than 4000 years. He is somebody who embodies the triumph of the human spirit in times of adversities. He stands for courage, compassion, forgiveness, righteousness, and just to have the opportunity to represent that is very daunting.”
“Very early on, I understood that it just requires lot of faith, lot of belief, lot of truthfulness, and noble intentions. Our entire cast and crew had one noble intention, and that is to tell the story as authentically as we can,” added Ranbir.
Yash defended Ranbir's casting as Lord Rama, praising his humility and dedication, saying no one can truly claim to embody the deity and calling Ranbir a "fabulous actor" who worked hard for the role.
Ramayana trailer delay
The Ramayana team was set to unveil the film's trailer globally at San Diego Comic-Con, but the release was postponed hours before its scheduled launch.
Producer Namit Malhotra said the trailer would now be released worldwide at a later date.
Malhotra mentioned, “In over 100 years of indian cinema this will become a moment of great pride where Ramayana will be shown to the entire world like any major global Hollywood film. This is special as it opens the door for people of the world to discover the richness of our culture and our stories with renewed pride and enthusiasm.”
Ramayana Part One will release in theatres in November.
