Ram Charan as Ram, Mrunal Thakur as Sita, Ranveer Singh as Ravana: AI shares 'strong' cast for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana

ChatGPT suggests some interesting alternate casting for Ramayana with names like Ram Charan, Mrunal Thakur, Ranveer Singh, and Fahadh Faasil in the mix.

The official announcement of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana came in the form of a stellar first glimpse on Thursday. The video included fleeting glimpses of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Yash as Ravana. The rest of the cast, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, was also announced.

ChatGPT has suggested alternate casting for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.

Ever since the announcement, there has been debate about the suitability of the lead cast. Many fans have praised it, saying the actors fit the bill. Others are not fully convinced, particularly with Ranbir and Sunny's roles. Others are reserving their opinion until a teaser or trailer is released sometime next year.

So, we did what most people do in times of confusion: we consulted ChatGPT. We let artificial intelligence suggest to us an alternative cast for an epic adaptation of Ramayana. ChatGPT noted that 'casting Indian actors for an epic cinematic retelling of the Ramayana—especially for roles as iconic and culturally symbolic as Lord Ram, Sita, and Ravana—requires a balance of gravitas, screen presence, acting depth, and cultural resonance'. It then suggested 'a carefully considered list of strong choices for each character'.

Ram Charan or Hrithik Roshan as Lord Ram

The chatbot stated that the actor who plays Lord Ram needs 'grace, moral authority, restrained strength, and divine serenity', and its top suggestions were Ram Charan and Hrithik Roshan. "Especially after RRR, he embodies discipline and strength with spiritual undertones. Also, the name fits symbolically," stated ChatGPT, while advocating Ram Charan's case. Citing Hrithik's 'candidature', the AI bot said the actor has a 'regal presence, calm strength, and has a divine aura when in stoic roles'. Other names suggested included Vicky Kaushal and Dev Patel (if it’s an international co-production).

Ram Charan as Lord Ram (Created by AI)

Mrunal Thakur as Sita

ChatGPT said that an actress would need to possess 'grace, resilience, and purity' to bring Sita to life on the big screen. Apart from Sai Pallavi, the top choice for the role, according to the AI bot, is Mrunal Thakur, described as 'graceful, emotionally resonant, and capable of portraying layered vulnerability and strength'. ChatGPT calls her performance in Sita Ramam proof of this. Other possible actors include Deepika Padukone, Triptii Dimri, and Aditi Rao Hydari.

Ranveer Singh or Fahadh Faasil as Ravana

For Lanka's almighty ruler Ravana, ChatGPT says the traits needed are 'charisma, power, and tragic complexity'. The top two choices for the role given by the AI are Ranveer Singh and Fahadh Faasil. ChatGPT says Ranveer, who won acclaim for his portrayal of Alauddin Khilji, 'can portray the larger-than-life, theatrical side of Ravana, but also the torment and ego'. On the other hand, Fahadh is the apt choice if the need is 'for a nuanced, cerebral, and intense Ravana who isn’t just a villain but a tragic antihero', argued ChatGPT. The other suggestions were R Madhavan and Chiyaan Vikram.

Can this alternate cast of Ramayana draw audiences? (Created by AI)

About Ramayana

Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is a two-part film with Part 1 slated for release on Diwali 2026, and Part 2 the following year. Mounted on a reported budget of ₹835 crore, Ramayana Part 1 is the most expensive Indian film ever made. Apart from Ranbir, Pallavi, Ravi, Yash, and Sunny, the film also features , Lara Dutta, Sheeba Chaddha, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, and Arun Govil. The music is being composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios is producing the film, with VFX from 8-time Oscar-winning company DNEG.