Varun Grover calls out ‘entitlement’ of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan actors for commenting on new Ramayana: ‘As if they are actual avatars’

Writer and lyricist Varun Grover criticized actors from Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan for commenting on Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana.

Actors who played lead roles in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, including Sunil Lahri and Dipika Chikhlia, have been vocal about their views on Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana ever since the film was announced. From commenting on the casting of Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi to questioning the costumes and creative liberties, the actors have reacted to different aspects of the film. Now, writer and lyricist Varun Grover has reacted to the original show's cast commenting on Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's film, calling out what he described as their 'entitlement'.

Varun Grover calls out 'entitlement' of Ramayan's cast

Dipika Chikhlia and Sunil Lahri have shared their review of Ramayana.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Varun called out the entitlement of the actors from the television show while commenting on the new film. He wrote, "Actors from Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana commenting on the new film with the entitlement as if they are actual avatars."

When Dipika Chikhlia questioned Sai Pallavi's casting

She also spoke about how the popularity of the legendary television show could weigh heavily on the film. She said, “I have seen her work. She’s a phenomenal actor. But I don’t know how she’ll look like Sita. Once we see her, we’ll know. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan. I think our Ramayan will weigh very heavily on the Ramayana film. Our Ramayan was also watched by the new generation when it aired on Doordarshan during the pandemic. So, it’s very difficult to erase that.”

However, more recently, while speaking to paparazzi, Dipika praised the film and said she had predicted its success. Reacting to its box-office performance, she said, “See, I told you right that the film is well-made and is bound to be a hit. It has so many big stars. See how it crossed 900-1000 crore in just 4-5 days. Superb. The movie is good, and so many big stars and VFX, all of it is so beautiful.”

Sunil Lahri says Ramayana lacks devotional sentiment

Sunil Lahri, who played Lakshman in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, recently shared a video review of Ramayana, offering a mixed reaction. While he praised the film's VFX, visuals and performances, he said it lacked the devotional sentiment and divinity associated with the epic.

The actor also pointed out certain sequences that he felt could have been handled better, including the Parashurama episode. He said the Ahalya episode was missing and questioned the way Shurpanakha and Sita address Lord Ram in the film.

He said, "I did not like the way Shurpanakha addresses Lord Ram during their conversation. The way Sita Ji addresses Lord Ram also did not feel appropriate to me. There are several other sequences that I felt were weak and lacked the devotional sentiment and divine essence that are integral to the story of the Ramayana.”

In his post accompanying the video, Sunil also described watching the film as a bittersweet experience. Despite his criticism, the actor encouraged audiences to watch the film and form their own opinions.

About Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is the first installment of a two-part cinematic adaptation of the Hindu epic. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Arun Govil, who famously played Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's television series, essays the role of King Dashrath in the film.

The film was released in theatres worldwide on November 5, 2026.