Ranbir Kapoor confirms DOUBLE ROLE in 'Ramayana': 'To get the opportunity to play Lord Ram and Lord Parshuram was fantastic'

Ranbir Kapoor has confirmed that he will be seen in a double role in the upcoming Nitesh Tiwari-directed epic, 'Ramayana'. The actor, who won hearts for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the newly released first glimpse titled 'Rama', has now confirmed that he will also play Lord Parshuram, an avatar of Vishnu in the ambitious mythological project. This dual performance marks a significant career milestone for the superstar, as he prepares to embody two powerful divine incarnations. The revelation comes following the release of the film’s teaser on April 2. The over two-minute clip offered a first look at Kapoor as Lord Ram, featuring him in multiple avatars ranging from a warrior to king. The clip also teased large-scale battle sequences featuring Ram going up against giants and demons. Among the many standout moments that created buzz online was one featuring a sequence where Ram comes face-to-face with Lord Parshuram. While the latter is not seen in the clip, Ram is seen catching a large golden axe, which is believed to have belonged to him. Speaking to Collider about taking on both roles, Kapoor said, "Lord Vishnu had different avatars. Lord Ram is one avatar and Lord Parshuram was an avatar before Lord Ram, and just to get the opportunity to play them both was fantastic."Elaborating on his approach to differentiating the two characters, whether it was by his avatar or change in voice, he said, "I think as an actor, apart from body language, if you deeply understand the spirituality, the emotionality, of characters, everything starts from there. I think that's what I did, to really understand who these people are, who these characters are, what they stand for, what their motives are, and then everything becomes easier."This will now be the actor's second double role on-screen. He previously played a bual role in the 2022 film 'Shamshera', where he took on the role of Shamshera and his son Balli.Addressing the challenge of portraying a character as revered as Lord Ram, Ranbir admitted, "It's a responsibility that you're carrying on your shoulders."He went on to say, "You can't really play him, you are representing, your tellings, your version of Lord Ram as an actor. So the responsibility, the intention, the faith, and the beliefs, that I have as an actor and as an Indian, this story, towards Lord Ram, I think that's where it all begins."Ranbir was also about about the lessons he hopes people around the world take away from the film. To this, he said, "It is the greatest epic to come from my country, India. Apart from the entertainment and every other emotion it will give you, there's a lot of life lessons you can take from a film like 'Ramayana' and the characters. I am excited that the entire world will get to sample this story."'Ramayana', directed by Nitesh Tiwari, also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The film is slated for its release on Diwali 2026. Part two of the epic film will release on Diwali 2027.