Actor Nitish Bharadwaj, best known for playing Lord Krishna in BR Chopra’s television series Mahabharat, has withdrawn the praise he gave Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 before its release, saying he was disappointed after watching the film.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, 10 November, Bharadwaj wrote that he was “deeply upset and disappointed with this film” and that he was taking back his earlier post, according to Gulf News, ANI and Outlook India.
What Nitish Bharadwaj said
Bharadwaj, who also played Lord Rama in a 2001 Ramayan television series, set out several objections to the film, as reported by the three outlets:
- He said the film’s portrayal of Ravana, played by Yash, as a liberal, socially just and fair ruler changes the moral framework of the epic.
- He said the film puts visual spectacle ahead of the epic’s philosophical and spiritual values, writing that a “spectacle of VFX can never substitute” for them.
- He said the film does not deserve to represent Indian cinema internationally.
ANI and Outlook India reported that he also wrote that he could not find “a single good word to say about it”.
A reversal from his earlier comments
Bharadwaj had spoken warmly about the project after its trailer was released. At the time, he praised its scale, visual effects and cinematography, welcomed the music collaboration between Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, and applauded director Nitesh Tiwari. He also predicted the film would win the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Outlook India reported.
As of the time of the reports, neither the filmmakers nor the lead actors had publicly responded to his latest post. Gulf News, ANI and Outlook India did not carry any reply from the production team.
About the film
Ramayana is planned as a two-part adaptation of the Hindu epic. Part one was released on 5 November, and part two is planned for Diwali 2028, according to Outlook India. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra.
Cast at a glance
- Ranbir Kapoor as Rama
- Sai Pallavi as Sita
- Yash as Ravana
- Sunny Deol as Hanuman
- Ravie Dubey as Lakshman
ANI reported that Anupam Kher voices Jatayu, and that Arun Govil, Lara Dutta and Rakul Preet Singh also have key roles.
Box office so far
The film has drawn large audiences in its opening days. Gulf News and Outlook India both reported a worldwide gross of about Rs673.9 crore in the first five days, made up of around Rs413.9 crore from India and Rs260 crore from overseas markets. The domestic net collection over the same period was reported at Rs346.35 crore.
Gulf News reported that overseas markets accounted for about 38.6 per cent of the worldwide gross, with the Hindi version earning the most in India.
The film has also prompted a range of reactions from figures in the industry. Outlook India noted, for example, that filmmaker Shankar had praised it.
Readers can catch up on our earlier coverage of the film’s second-day box office performance.
Sources: Gulf News, ANI, Outlook India
