Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, known for his versatility in films such as Dookudu (cop), Businessman (gangster), and Okkadu (Kabaddi player), will be playing Lord Ram in Varanasi. It will be his first devotional role, and his fans are extremely excited.
But the casting has also triggered a debate on social media and within the film industry, since Ranbir Kapoor is also playing Lord Ram in Bollywood’s upcoming epic Ramayana. Who will do a better job, is the question being asked.
Telugu cinema has a strong legacy when it comes to mythological and divine roles, and actors from the industry are clearly ahead in this space, says writer Gopi Mohan. Stars like Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan, Jr NTR, and Prabhas have played divine or mythological characters and proved their mettle, he points out.
Calling it unfair to compare Mahesh Babu and Ranbir, because the contexts of their roles are completely different, Gopi Mohan says both actors are talented and will definitely give their best.
According to him, Ranbir Kapoor’s role is a full-fledged one, with the mythological epic demanding his strict adherence to the character’s physicality, body language, and spiritual traits. Mahesh Babu’s role, on the other hand, will be far more layered. He plays a modern-day globe-trotter who appears in the divine avatar only for 20 or 30 minutes, and then transitions back to his original character. It is a genre-bending and pulling off such varied shades is a tougher task.
Earlier, Ranbir’s casting as Lord Ram in Ramayana has drawn attention from spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He had told producer Namit Malhotra, “It is a rare opportunity to play Lord Rama on screen, and one has to transform himself for the role. If an actor takes up the role of Lord Rama, we expect gentleness and grace. If portraying Rama helps the actor absorb some of his qualities, it would be wonderful.” He further discussed the portrayal of Ravana, saying, “A villain is often imagined with a blunt nose and a large stature. But Yash is a handsome man.”
Reacting to this view, Telugu director Dolly said, “Sadhguru is a great man, and I wouldn’t dare to comment against him. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Casting Ranbir as Ram and Yash as Ravan is a smart move to appeal to both North and South Indian audiences — it’s best to ignore trolls who have a limited view.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
