‘Ramayana’ Faces Fresh Row Ahead of Release

Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic Ramayana has sparked controversy even before its theatrical release. Arjun Kumar, President of the Shri Ramlila Mahasangh in Delhi, has written to the film’s makers requesting a special screening before its public release. He said the organisation wants to ensure that the film does not contain scenes or dialogues that could hurt Hindu religious sentiments. While welcoming the film and expressing hope that it reaches a wide audience, he said certain visuals in the teaser and trailer, including some costumes and emotional portrayals, had raised concerns among members of the organisation.

Arjun Kumar stated that the request was made in light of the controversy surrounding Adipurush, stressing that preventive measures were necessary to avoid a similar situation. He claimed that the organisation had received information suggesting that some sequences or dialogues in the film could be objectionable and urged the makers to remove any such content after a pre-screening. He also warned that if the request is ignored and objectionable material remains in the final cut, protests would be organised outside theatres. Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, is being directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash. The first part of the two-film saga is scheduled for release this Diwali.