Meet TV actors who are all set to play Ramlila character this season

TV actors who are all set to feature in this year’s Luv-Kush Ramlila, talk about the nuances and challenges of performing live.

With Ramlila just a week away, the rehearsals in the Capital are in full swing. This year, a lot of popular TV and film actors will be seen playing the mythological characters in the Luv-Kush Ramlila. And some of these actors are finding their roles tough to essay as opposed to the roles they are accustomed to play on the tube. “I have done more than 300 films, but this seems to be one of the most challenging roles till date. I’m going to play Laxman and for junior artist who have been doing this role for years, it’s a child’s play — they say the dialogues without any retakes but for me it’s a challenge,” says, actor Harish Kumar.

An actor gets ready to rehearse his role in Ramlila.(AMAL KS/HT)

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Punjabi actor Gurleen Chopra who has been a part of many small-scale films, is busy memorising the Sanskrit shlokas for her role as Sita these days.“It takes me 3 to 4 hours to memorise and do justice to a dialogue. It’s daunting as it’s going to be a live show without any retakes,” says Chopra.

Actor Gagan Malik who has played Ram in TV serial Ramayan in the past, and is currently playing Ram, Krishna and Vishnu in a serial called Sankat Mochan, is excited to perform live. “The new and exciting bit is my fans will be watching me live,” Malik says. He also adds that TV actors are better suited for playing such roles because the audience has a connect with them.

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A boy practices for the fire show at Red Fort, Ramlila grounds. (SHIVAM SAXENA)

This year, Ramlila will not only bring these known TV and film personalities together but it is also adding a new element in form of aerial acts and fire shows. “We have called for aerial act experts from Mumbai, who will bring a whole new feel to the play, ” says Ashok Agrawal, chairman, Luv Kush Ramlila.