'Fantastic opportunity': Ranbir Kapoor reveals double role surprise for Ramayana

One of the year's most-awaited films, Ramayana, stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. A first glimpse of his look was revealed to a select audience at a grand event in Los Angeles, reported Hindustan Times, where the actor also dropped a surprise by confirming he will be seen in a double role.

Dual role confirmed

Kapoor stated that playing both the characters was a “fantastic opportunity”, reported Hindustan Times. He described the role as a defining moment, saying that it felt like something his entire career had been building towards.

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While talking to Collider at the LA event, Ranbir confirmed that the dual role and said, “Lord Vishnu had different avatars. Lord Rama was an avatar, and Lord Parshurama was an avatar before Lord Rama. Just to get the opportunity, you know, how I got to play Lord Rama, to also play Lord Parshurama was fantastic.”

His remarks referred to this shared lineage, placing both characters within the same theological framework.

What this means for the film

The two characters demanded from Ranbir Kapoor differ significantly in temperament, with Lord Rama as associated with restraint and Lord Parshurama with arrogance and intensity. Lord Parshurama has the identity of a warrior, and at the same time Lord Ram represents ideal construct and leadership.

Portraying both characters requires clear differentiation in performance, including body language, tone and emotional expression. It also places additional demands on production, particularly in scenes where both characters appear together.

When asked how he prepared for such a challenging task of playing both the roles he explained, “I think as an actor, apart from body language, I think if you deeply understand the spirituality and the emotionality of the characters, I think everything starts from there. I think that’s what I did the year leading up to the shoot of Ramayana, to understand who these people and characters are, what they stand for and what their motives are.”

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Viewer responses and expectations

The teaser drew a mixed response from viewers, with several questioning Ranbir Kapoor’s suitability for the role of Lord Rama. While some praised the film’s VFX and CGI, others felt it did not meet expectations.

Producer Namit Malhotra stated that the two part project is being developed on a budget of ₹4,000 crore, positioning it among the most ambitious films in Indian cinema. He also likened its scale to that of The Lord of the Rings and Avatar. The first installment is scheduled for release this Diwali, with the second expected in Diwali 2027.