OG Lakshman Sunil Lahri 'irked' by Ramayana teaser, feels Ranbir Kapoor 'lacks innocence' to play Rama: 'He looks harsh'

Sunil Lahri, who played Lakshman in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, has shared his opinion on Ranbir Kapoor's look as Lord Rama.

The teaser of Nitesh Tiwari’s adaptation of Ramayana was unveiled on Thursday, giving the first official look at Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. While a large section of the audience praised the glimpse, particularly for its grand scale and ambition, it copped a fair amount of criticism for its visuals and VFX. Many were not convinced of Ranbir’s casting as Lord Rama, as well. Among them is actor Sunil Lahri, the original Lakshman from Ramanand Sagar’s iconic TV show Ramayana.

Sunil Lahri famously played Lakshman in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan.

Sunil Lahri talks on Ramayana and Ranbir Kapoor

In an interview with DNA, Sunil Lahri refused to criticise the teaser’s VFX, saying it is just a showcase, but added that ‘there are some factors that irked me’.

Sunil Lahri played Lakshman in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, which aired on Doordarshan from 1987 to 1988. Starring Arun Govil as Lord Rama, the show remains the most-watched Indian TV show of all time. In the Nitesh Tiwari film, Ranbir Kapoor takes on the role. Talking about Ranbir’s look as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Sunil said, “Ranbir looks ok, but the innocence is a little less. The patience, calm, and innocence Arun (Govil) had are missing here. But I'm sure he'll justify the role with his acting.”

Many have wondered how Ranbir will justify playing the calm and composed Lord Rama after delivering a violent performance in Animal, his last big release. Sunil Lahri agreed with the perception and added, “He looks a little harsh; he suits more for Laxmana or Bharat. For such a role, it's always better to cast a fresh face. A new actor, with no image or controversy, is always an ideal match.”

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. The Rama glimpse focused only on Lord Rama but also gave fleeting glimpses at other characters, including Lakshman and Sita. The teaser also showed Yash’s Ravana getting out his fabled flying machine, Pushpak Vimana, at the end.

Ramayana Part One, produced by Namit Malhotra, is slated to release in theatres in October 2026, with the second part arriving in 2027.