Mukesh Khanna Questions Action Scenes in ‘Ramayana’: ‘Lord Ram Was Not Portrayed Like an Action Hero’

Mumbai: The upcoming film ‘Ramayana’, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita, has drawn attention not only for its scale but also for the way the epic characters are being presented on screen.

Actor Mukesh Khanna, known for playing Bhishma Pitamah in the television series Mahabharat, has now voiced his reservations about the action sequences shown in the film’s promotional material.

Khanna questioned the depiction of Lord Ram in some of the action-heavy scenes and argued that the character’s traditional image of dignity and restraint should remain central to the portrayal.

‘Ram has been presented like an action hero’

Speaking about the film, Khanna said that some sequences appeared to present Lord Ram primarily as a warrior and action figure.

He particularly questioned scenes in which Ram is shown performing elaborate archery movements from elevated positions. According to Khanna, such depictions do not match the way he has understood the character through his reading of the Ramayana and his experience of watching Ramleela.

He also compared the presentation to the style of mainstream action stars, saying that Ram should not be turned into a conventional cinematic action hero.

‘Maryada Purushottam’ should remain at the centre

Khanna’s main concern is about the balance between cinematic spectacle and the traditional image associated with Lord Ram.

He said that Ram is widely revered as Maryada Purushottam, and therefore the character should be portrayed with dignity, restraint and respect.

According to him, adding large-scale action sequences may work as a cinematic device, but the cultural and religious significance of the character makes the portrayal particularly sensitive for Indian audiences.

‘Ramji was made into an action man’

Khanna further criticised what he described as an excessive emphasis on fight sequences. He said that the character was being presented as an “action man” and compared some of the visual treatment to international action cinema.

His comments are based on his personal interpretation of the epic and its traditional representations.

Global film, Indian cultural expectations

The makers of Ramayana are reportedly planning the project for an international audience. Khanna acknowledged that viewers outside India may approach the film primarily as a large-scale fantasy epic.

However, he argued that Indian audiences have a different cultural relationship with the story and its central characters.

His view is that a global cinematic presentation should not come at the expense of the traditional reverence associated with Lord Ram.

Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi lead the film

Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, while Sai Pallavi portrays Sita. The project is being planned as a two-part film and has been positioned as an ambitious international-scale adaptation of the Indian epic.

The film’s makers have spoken about the enormous technical and production challenges involved in bringing the story to the screen.

Producer Namith Malhotra has described the project as a long-term undertaking involving extensive visual effects and a large production scale. According to statements attributed to him, the combined budget for the two parts is expected to be around $500 million, which would place it among the most expensive Indian film projects.

Debate likely to continue until release

Mukesh Khanna’s remarks add another perspective to the discussion surrounding the film’s visual interpretation of the Ramayana.

While the filmmakers are attempting to create a large-scale cinematic experience for audiences in India and abroad, Khanna’s criticism focuses on how much creative liberty can be taken when depicting characters who have deep religious and cultural significance.

Ultimately, the film’s final portrayal will become clearer once the complete work reaches audiences.

(SDNA)