Ranbir Kapoor's on-screen mother in Ramayana, Indira Krishnan, reveals he turned vegetarian to play Lord Rama

Indira Krishnan says Ranbir Kapoor followed a vegetarian diet and rigorous fitness routine while preparing to play Lord Rama.

Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor faced criticism over his casting as Lord Rama in Ramayana ever since the film's first promotional material was released. However, following its release, his portrayal has impressed some of those who had earlier questioned the casting. In an interview with Filmygyan, Ranbir's on-screen mother, Indira Krishnan, revealed that the actor turned vegetarian to play Lord Rama.

Ranbir Kapoor essayed the role of Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.

Ranbir Kapoor turned vegetarian for Ramayana

Indira, who plays Kaushalya, Lord Rama's mother, in Ramayana, spoke about sharing a close bond with Ranbir off screen as well. The two had previously worked together in Animal. She revealed that while shooting for Ramayana, she always saw Shri Ram in front of her rather than Ranbir. Indira also called Ranbir her biggest supporter and recalled how he would often seek her opinion on his scenes.

The actor also came out in support of Ranbir amid the criticism surrounding his casting as Lord Rama. She said, "We have this mentality that if someone is growing and is trying to perform a new character, we have a lot of audience who pull them down and troll them. I have also met people who couldn't believe Ranbir played Lord Rama."

Indira further recalled her memories of working with Ranbir on the sets of Ramayana and revealed that he would often express his wish to eat South Indian food. She said, "He was completely a vegetarian in this entire process. Because I have seen he would eat fruits, work out a lot-3 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the evening. So he had a regime. I had almost been living with him on the set. Even his vanity had fruits. He was completely on the path to create Shri Rama inside and out. Even the way he used to talk and behave with people. He used to talk about Raha's education, always used to grab knowledge about which course he should get for Raha. He is an all-rounder, fabulous actor and fabulous father."

Why Ranbir Kapoor faced criticism over his casting as Lord Rama

Ranbir faced criticism after being cast as Lord Rama in Ramayana because of his past remarks about being a "big beef fan" during a 2011 interview. The comments resurfaced after the casting announcement and upset sections of the audience. His portrayal of the aggressive, violent and misogynistic Ranvijay Singh in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal also became a point of contention, with critics questioning whether an actor associated with such a character could convincingly portray Lord Rama.

About Ramayana

Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is among the most expensive films in Indian cinema. The two-part mythological epic has reportedly been mounted on a budget of ₹4,000 crore. Titled Ramayana: Rise of the Legend, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal and Vivek Oberoi in key roles. The film was released on November 5 and has reportedly collected over ₹500 crore at the domestic box office.