Ramayana's Ayodhya scene made with AI? Viral 'purple turban' actor speaks up: 'I shot this with real Ranbir Kapoor'

After a scene in Ramayana teaser was accused of being made with AI, the actor in it spoke up, saying he shot it on a set with Ranbir Kapoor.

The teaser of Ramayana, released on Thursday, gave audiences the first look at Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. The magnificent visuals inspired awe in some, while the rakshasas' and asuras' designs drew criticism from others. But amid that, many social media posts pointed out a discrepancy in one scene in which the turban of a supporting actor seemed to change colour mid-shot. That led to accusations that the scene was generated using generative AI rather than actually shot. Now, the actor featured in the scene has released a statement to clear the air.

The scene (on left) from Ramayana teaser, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, caught the eye of viewers with its mistakes.

Ramayana teaser’s infamous purple turban scene

In the Ramayana teaser, a shot shows Ranbir Kapoor’s Lord Rama walking through the streets of Ayodhya as citizens shower him with flower petals. The shot shifts from a low angle to an over-the-shoulder view, and as Ranbir walks ahead, to his left, the turban of a citizen appears to shift from blue to purple. The short video was widely shared on social media throughout the weekend, with many claiming it proved the teaser used AI.

Ramayana actor speaks up

However, actor Saket Patel has now shared a video claiming he is the person wearing the turban in the scene and emphasising that it was shot on location, not generated by AI. In a video message posted on Instagram, Saket said, “I’m Saket Patel. I am an actor, and believe me, I’m not AI.”

Addressing the posts calling the scene fake, the actor added, “Somehow people are fully convinced that I don’t exist. I shot for this almost two years ago with real crowds on real sets, real me, and real Ranbir Kapoor in front of me.” The actor ended the video, adding, “The funny thing is that in 2026, if something looks too nice, people call it fake.”

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. Apart from Ranbir, the film also stars Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakhsman. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana Part One is slated to release in theatres in October 2026, with the second part arriving in 2027.