Becoming a Father and Playing Lord Ram at the Same Time Was a Sweet Coincidence: Ranbir Kapoor

New Delhi: Actor Ranbir Kapoor says his first reaction when he was offered the role of Lord Ram in the upcoming mythological epic ‘Ramayana’ was self-doubt, but becoming a father helped turn that hesitation into a sense of purpose. Speaking at a special IMAX teaser screening of the film in New York, Ranbir said that the offer came about four years ago and he felt unprepared.

“I remember when Namit offered me this role about four years ago my immediate reaction was: ‘I’m not fit enough, I’m not good enough.’ I felt like I couldn’t do full justice. But that fear quickly turned into gratitude because opportunities like this were something I really needed in my life,” he said, according to videos shared by fans on social media.

The actor said that his personal life and his role were unexpectedly intertwined.

Ranbir, who welcomed his first child, daughter Raha, with Alia Bhatt in November 2022, said, “There was a time when I had to change my lifestyle. I became a father for the first time. The sweet coincidence of playing Lord Ram and becoming a father was a turning point in my life.”

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, “Ramayana” is a two-part live-action epic set 5000 years ago. It also stars Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lord Lakshman.

The much-anticipated film is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG, Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.

Ranbir said that while preparing for the role, it started with revisiting Ramanand Sagar’s iconic television adaptation of the epic.

“This is so deeply engraved in our subconscious and ingrained in us that we take great pride in Lord Rama’s journey. When I got the opportunity to portray him, I knew that the preparation had to go beyond the physical, it had to be emotional and spiritual. One has to be honest with the character because he is loved by billions of people over the centuries and will continue to be so long after we are gone,” he said.

Ranbir said the gravity of portraying a figure of such cultural and spiritual significance was not lost on him.

“Responsibility is something I take very seriously. I have great love and respect for this part and the story of Ramayana. Once this belief falls into place, everything else falls into place,” he said.

The first part of “Ramayana” is scheduled to be released worldwide on Diwali 2026, while the second part is scheduled to be released on Diwali 2027.