Nitish Bharadwaj withdraws praise for Ramayana after watching the film.
The actor criticises Yash's portrayal of Ravana and the film's narrative.
Ramayana reportedly earns ₹673.90 crore worldwide in its first five days.
Actor Nitish Bharadwaj, best remembered for playing Lord Krishna in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, has reversed his earlier assessment of Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ramayana. After initially praising the film's trailer and predicting an Oscar win, the actor has now expressed disappointment with the final product. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, he criticised the makers' portrayal of Ravana, played by Yash, and announced that he was withdrawing his earlier appreciation for the film directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
Nitish Bharadwaj questions Ravana's portrayal in Ramayana
Nitish argued that the Ramayana is central to India's cultural and spiritual identity and that changing the significance of its characters affects the epic's underlying message. Taking issue with the film's depiction of Ravana as a liberal and socially just ruler, he wrote on Instagram, “The Ramayan is not just a story. It is deeply rooted in the civilizational and spiritual consciousness of Sanatan Bharat. Its heroes, heroine and antagonist are integral to the values and message of this Mahakavya.
Their character and significance cannot be casually redefined. Mahavishnu took the Ram Avatar to uphold Dharma, parampara and establish Maryada. By presenting Ravan as an exceptionally liberal, socially just and fair figure, the film, in my view, alters the moral framework of the Ramayan and undermines the very purpose of avataar.”
Nitish Bharadwaj withdraws his earlier Ramayana praise
The actor also questioned the film's emphasis on visual effects at the expense of its philosophical and spiritual elements. Expressing his disappointment, he wrote, “I am deeply upset and disappointed with this film. I withdraw my earlier post about it. I cannot find a single good word to say about it. A spectacle of VFX can never substitute for the core values, philosophical depth and spiritual essence of this Mahakavya. This film, in my opinion, does not deserve to represent Indian cinema internationally when its narrative misrepresents Bharat’s history, heritage and core spiritual values.”
His latest remarks are a sharp departure from his earlier reaction to the trailer. At the time, Nitish had praised the production scale, visual effects and collaboration between composers Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman. He had even predicted an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. He wrote, “100% Oscar for Best Foreign Film.
Nitesh Tiwari is Bharat’s next gift to world cinema after Satyajit Ray and Shekhar Kapoor. Tens of awards for Production Design and DOP. Wonderful period creation using VFX and AI. Thanks to the great music maestro Hans Zimmer for collaborating with Indian cinema. Ranbir now at par with Ranveer as the next two unbeatable Dhurandhars. Yash — welcome to global cinema.”
Ramayana box office collection and cast
Despite the criticism, Ramayana has continued its theatrical run. The film reportedly grossed ₹673.90 crore worldwide in its first five days, with India contributing ₹413.90 crore and overseas markets accounting for ₹260 crore. Its India net collection stood at ₹346.35 crore.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman while Ravie Dubey essays Lakshman. Conceived as a two-part adaptation, the first instalment was released on November 5, 2026. The second part is planned for a Diwali 2028 release.
