Dipika Chikhlia defends Ranbir Kapoor's casting in Ramayana amid criticism: ‘Someone who can do Animal can play Ram’

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. TV show Ramayan actor Dipika Chikhlia said this about the film.

Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is not just one of the most-awaited films in Indian cinema, it’s also one of the most polarising ones. Even as some remain excited about the film adaptation of the epic, there has been criticism surrounding the casting of Ranbir Kapoor as Ram. TV show Ramayana actor Dipika Chikhlia, who once played Sita, defended his casting on a podcast.

Dipika Chikhlia thinks Ranbir Kapoor is lucky to be playing Ram in Ramayana.

Dipika Chikhlia defends Ranbir Kapoor in Ramayana

Dipika was asked for her opinion on Nitesh’s upcoming Ramayana films, including Ranbir's casting as Ram, on the Hindi Rush podcast. It was pointed out that he has made films like Animal in the past, which, according to the host, added to the criticism. Dipika, however, stated that his job as an actor was to play a variety of roles.

“He’s an actor. It’s not like we descended from above,” she said, referring to herself and co-star Arun Govil, who played Ram on the TV show. “It’s a great thing for an actor to be able to play varied characters. Someone who can do Barfi can also do Animal. Someone who can do Animal can also play Ram. Imagine his good luck that he got these kinds of roles. He’s very lucky, and it’s very good that he’s doing it,” added Dipika, while referring to Ranbir.

Ranbir Kapoor addresses casting criticism

Ranbir also seemed aware of the criticism, addressing it to the Review Nation YouTube channel on the sidelines of San Diego Comic-Con last week. “The first question that popped into my head was, am I worthy? Am I the right person, and why am I being gifted this responsibility to not play Lord Rama but represent him? But very soon you understand the value, the responsibility and the noble intention of the filmmakers to present the story, which has been relevant for 4,000 years. It's deeply ingrained in our subconscious. So I don't think there's a right actor to play Lord Rama,” he said.

Ranbir also stated that everyone who watched Ramayan have their own interpretation of Ram and that ‘there’s no fixed face to it’. He also admitted that many believe he’s a wrong fit for the role, while others might believe he’s right for it. “But the honest truth is that the right casting for Ram would be any actor who has the right intentions and who has belief and faith in the journey of Lord Ram,” he said.

Ramayana also stars Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh, Ravi Dubey, and others. It will be released in theatres for Diwali 2026, while part 2 will hit screens for Diwali 2027.