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What if Ramanand Sagar directed Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi: AI imagines 'simple' Rama-Sita in parallel universe Ramayana
An AI reimagination has put Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi as Lord Rama and Sita in Ramanand Sagar's iconic TV show, Ramayan.
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana will have the unenviable task of living up to the high benchmark set by Ramanand Sagar’s era-defining TV show, Ramayan. The show, which aired on Doordarshan from 1987-88, is widely considered the most influential Indian TV show of all time, setting the template for how the epic should be adapted. The new film will invariably be measured up to it. Days after the teaser of Ramayana was released, digital artists used AI to put the cast of the new film in the style of the vintage TV show, and the internet is all for it.
AI imagines Ranbir, Pallavi in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan
The Ramayana teaser, unveiled on Thursday, sparked diverse reactions among audiences for its scale and Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Rama. Many were stunned by the film’s visuals and grand scale, but others criticised the VFX. But many felt the teaser could use a little more grounded simplicity, like the TV show was known for. A digital artist’s recreation of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita, in the style of Sagar’s Ramayan, has further fuelled this conversation.
On Friday, Siddhanta Abhishek (@myinternetiscrazy on Instagram) shared a carousel post on the platform featuring AI-generated pictures of the Ramayana film. “Ranbir and Sai Pallavi directed by Ramanand Sagar,” the caption simply read. The pictures of Ranbir and Sai Pallavi in stills from the OG Ramayana show. One image also features Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
The epic Ramayan TV show
The original Ramayan starred Arun Govil as Lord Rama, Dipika Chikhlia as Sita, and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. Created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar, it originally aired on DD National from 1987 to 1988. The show broke all viewership records in India and still remains the most-watched Indian TV show ever. It launched the careers of its lead actors, elevating them to demigod-like stature across the nation. A sequel, Uttar Ramayan, was aired from 1988 to 1989.
About Ramayana
Ramayana is a two-part film mounted on a massive budget of ₹4000 crore, making it the most expensive Indian film ever made, and one of the costliest film productions worldwide. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakhsman. Produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana Part One is slated to release in theatres in October 2026, with the second part arriving in 2027.
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