'Ramayana': Sadhguru defends Ranbir Kapoor's casting as Lord Ram amid past controversy; says 'It's an unfair judgement because...'

Spiritual leader Sadhguru has spoken out in defence of actor Ranbir Kapoor, who will next be seen in Nitesh Tiwari's epic 'Ramayana'.

The actor will take on the role of Lord Ram, opposite Yash's Ravana. With months to go before the film's relase, Ranbir has often found himself in the line of fire, over his casting as Lord Ram. Netizens and social media trolls have often pulled out his past controversies as reasons for his miscasting in the epic. Some have even questioned Kapoor’s suitability for the divine role based on his past roles and public persona.

Sadhguru defends Ranbir's casting

During a recent conversation with producer Namit Malhotra, Sadhguru addressed the controversy head-on, calling the backlash “unfair”. Namit said in the chat, "People are pulling out things from the past and asking how Ranbir Kapoor could play Shri Rama in Ramayana."

Responding to this, Sadhguru said, “It’s an unfair judgment of an actor because he acted in some way in the past. You can’t expect him to become Ram. Tomorrow in another movie, he may act as Ravana."

Sadhguru's honest reaction to Yash's casting

The spiritual guru also weighed in on Yash’s much-discussed role as Ravana. Sharing a light-hearted comment, he said, “Yash is a handsome man," prompting Namit to add, “Yash is a very handsome man, and a very talented superstar in the country and incredibly loved. We want to show all shades of Ravan, his devotion, his depth, which only Yash can do."

Ramayana release date

'Ramayana', directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is one of India’s most ambitious and most expensive films to date. The two-part epic also starring Sai Pallavi as Sita, has reportedly been shot for an IMAX release on Diwali 2026. The second part will release on Diwali 2027.