‘Ramayana’: 'Panchayat' star Faisal Malik bags the role of Kumbhakarna in Ranbir Kapoor starrer magnum opus - Reports

Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’ is turning into one of the year’s biggest talking points, with buzz from the newest casting reveal. Faisal Malik, loved for his role as Prahladcha ‘Prahlad’ Pandey in ‘Panchayat’, is set to play Kumbhakarna, bringing yet another popular name to this all-star retelling. Earlier fan guesses pointed to Bobby Deol, but Faisal has landed the part.

Faisal Malik joins ‘Ramayana’

According to Hindustan Times, Faisal has already wrapped up the first schedule of the film, shooting introductory Kumbhakarna scenes alongside Yash at Prime Focus Studios in Mumbai. The sequences are heavy on graphics, similar to Avatar.

Full ‘Ramayana’ cast revealed

In ‘Ramayana’, Ranbir Kapoor takes on Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi embodies Goddess Sita, and Yash unleashes as Ravana. Sunny Deol swings in as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, with Kajal Aggarwal and Rakul Preet Singh as Mandodri and Surpanakha. Veterans Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Sheeba Chaddha, and Indira Krishnan fill out the lineup. Raghav Juyal joins as Meghanad, Ravana’s eldest son, for the second part hitting Diwali 2027.

‘Ramayana’ release and production

‘Ramayana’, helmed by Nitesh Tiwari and backed by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, delivers a thrilling fusion of ancient myths, high-octane action, and groundbreaking VFX. Kicking off with part one this Diwali, it sets the stage for the sequel in Diwali 2027.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”