Ramayana releases on November 5.
Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi front the two-part saga.
Nitesh Tiwari directs the saga.
Soon to be seen as demon king Ravana in Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana, starring alongside Ranbir Kapoor's Ram and Sai Pallavi's Sita, Kannada actor Yash completely transformed into the fierce, imposing antagonist. But while portraying the legendary villain was straightforward enough on set, justifying the decision to his young son emerged the trickier challenge.
Speaking with TV host Suma Kanakala, Yash recounted how his children's background with the epic, handed down through stories from their grandparents, led to some awkward family dynamics. His son, Yatharv, put him on the spot by asking why he was playing the bad guy and trying to figure out who he was supposed to root for. Ultimately, Yash had to sit his son down and clarify the line between acting out a fictional role and the real moral core of the tale.
“For a son, his father is his hero. Since he knows the story [of the Ramayana], he asked me, ‘You are Ravana?! How can you be Ravana? Aren’t you Rama?’ So, I said, ‘Yes, I am Rama in real life, but in the movie, I am playing Ravana.’ But he was like, ‘Then you are the bad guy.’ So, I explained to him about cinema and acting, showing him drawings and all of that.” His son then prodded him as to who he must root for. This was the biggest thing to answer.
Yash's Ravana Dilemma
Yash continued, “That was a complicated question. My fans might also have the same doubt, wondering, ‘Why is Yash doing this role?’ Especially since, in scenes like Sita Apaharan, I should not be liked. Then I told my kid in the most distinct way, ‘When we listen to the story, it is Rama whom everybody has to follow. Ravana might look glamorous, fancy, or powerful. But ultimately, if you have to win, you have to understand the essence of Lord Rama. However, in the movie, you can root for me. But don’t take it personally.'”
His son then nagged further, asking if he gets killed and ends up losing in the end. Yash attempted to ease his mind, explaining that it was merely an acting job and not real life.
“I didn’t think of it when I was doing the movie. I was thinking of my fans for sure. But I didn’t think of my son or the possibility that he would ask me this question one day. It was interesting. But how do I explain to him that this is just a character that I am playing? So, I thought he would understand it later,” he continued.
Ramayana Cast, Release Details
Steered by director Nitesh Tiwari, the epic production is a joint venture between Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. The film anchors its narrative on a power-packed trio. Ranbir Kapoor steps into the role of the righteous Prince Rama, Sai Pallavi portraying Sita, and charismatic Kannada icon Yash taking on the antagonist Ravana for his Hindi cinema debut.
Rounding out the ambitious cinematic effort is the supporting cast that includes Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan, and Lara Dutta. Ramayana: Part One towers as one of the most extensive Indian theatrical releases of the year. The multi-lingual blockbuster is scheduled for a global release on November 5, 2026, across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam markets.
