Evil Characters in Ramayana Cannot Be Glorified, Says Producer

“I think these characters have been tampered with, with attempts being made to justify their evil actions. The Ramayana clearly distinguishes between good and evil, with no grey areas. Telugu filmmakers have traditionally maintained that distinction. Even legendary actor NTR, while portraying Ravana, did not alter the character’s dark image,” he says.

The debate over grey shades in mythological characters has gained momentum on social media, with actress Rakul Preet Singh and Kannada star Yash at the centre of the discussion. Both actors are part of Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious Ramayana and have spoken about their respective characters, Surpanakha and Ravana.

A video of Rakul from a recent interview has gone viral, in which she describes Surpanakha as a layered and misunderstood character. Explaining her perspective, the actress pointed out that Surpanakha’s actions set the events leading to the war in motion.

“She’s a very misunderstood character and has a very… so it’s been really interesting to play something with so many multiple shades,” Rakul said.

Her remarks, however, did not go down well with a section of social media users. Several questioned whether exploring a character’s motivations should also mean justifying its actions. Some accused the filmmakers of attempting to whitewash negative characters and expressed concern that such interpretations could dilute the image of Lord Ram.

Yash, who essays Ravana in the film, has also offered his perspective on approaching the legendary antagonist. “When you play such characters, you have to believe in them. Nobody does something thinking they are bad. They always have their own reasons,” he said.

The actor revealed that he had spent considerable time understanding Ravana’s mindset, motivations and justifications, describing the process as challenging but creatively fulfilling.

Producer Lagadapati Sridhar, however, believes both actors have valid reasons for looking at their characters from different perspectives.

“I think Yash was right in his own way and Rakul has her reasons. Epics like the Ramayana are meant to show different shades of human nature—what to do and what not to do,” Sridhar says.

He believes Ravana cannot be viewed merely as a villain, considering his qualities as a warrior, scholar and devoted follower. According to him, the character embodies a combination of positive, grey and dark shades.

At the same time, Sridhar acknowledges why such interpretations have sparked criticism. Ravana has traditionally been regarded as the ultimate symbol of evil in Indian culture, and any attempt to present him differently is bound to provoke strong reactions.