Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana can't be compared to Adipurush, says Arun Govil; dismisses comparisons with Ramanand Sagar show

Arun Govil, who plays King Dashrath in Ramayana and famously played Lord Ram in the Ramanand Sagar show, has addressed comparisons.

Ramayana has been one of the defining epics of Indian culture. Over the last century, the epic has been adapted onto the big screen countless times, with many actors portraying Lord Rama on TV and film. Among them, Arun Govil has perhaps established himself as someone who can lay claim to given the definitive portrayal of the deity. The actor is returning to the epic with Nitesh Tiwary’s upcoming film adaptation, playing King Dashrath. In a recent interview, Govil addressed the comparisons the upcoming Ramayana film will face.

Arun Govil on comparisons

Both Adipurush and Ramayana are adaptations of the same epic.

Ramayana is a two-part film directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Ever since the first look was revealed, the film has been pitted against Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 TV show Ramayan, which starred Govil as Lord Ram. The comparisons are particularly about Ranbir’s look as Lord Ram, opposed to how Govil looked in the show.

In an interview with PTI, the actor said, “Comparisons are always made when a standard is set, and no one should feel bad that I'm being compared. I believe that in order to play the role of God, you should look like that. The look is very important. When people see you, they should see God in you, and think, 'God can be like that'," Arun Govil added.

The new Ramayana film comes just three years after the ill-fated Adipurush, Om Raut’s Ramayana adaptation starring Prabhas as Lord Ram, Saif Ali Khan as Ravana, and Kriti Sanon as Sita. The film was slammed by critics, and ended up being one of the biggest box office bombs in Indian cinema. Arun Govil said the new Ramayana should not be compared with Adipurush. “There is a lot of difference between Ramayana and Adipurush,” he added.

Ramayana is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios and DNEG, in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations. The film is a two-part live-action saga set 5000 years ago and rooted in one of Indian mythology's most enduring epics. The first part is slated to release worldwide in IMAX during Diwali 2026, with part two following in Diwali 2027.