Arun Govil didn't want to play Dashrath in Ramayana, says Nitesh Tiwari wanted a connection with Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
When Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana was revealed four years ago, everyone knew it would be compared with Ramanand Sagar’s TV adaptation of the epic from the 80s. The show remains the most-watched Indian TV show of all time and set the benchmark for how the epic is to be adapted. Perhaps that is why director Nitesh Tiwari pulled off a casting coup when he cast Ramayan’s OG Lord Rama, Arun Govil , as King Dashrath in his movie. In a recent interview, Arun Govil opened up that he did not initially want to play King Dashrath and was only won over by the director’s insistence.
Adding to this, Arun Govil as King Dashrath in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. Arun Govil didn’t want to play Dashrath Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, with Arun Govil essaying the role of his father, Ayodhya’s King Dashratha. Talking about taking on the role, the star told Variety India, “Had I felt it wasn't right, I would not have done it. To be honest, initially, I didn't want to do this role. But Nitesh Tiwari, the director, was insistent. They wanted some connect between our Ramayan and this Ramayana.”
Meanwhile, Ramayana has received great reviews and has already minted over ₹ 660 crore rupees worldwide in five days, one of the best starts for an Indian movie ever. While Ranbir Kapoor’s performance has been lauded, many viewers have still compared it unfavourably with Arun Govil’s portrayal. The star addressed the comparisons and the criticism coming Ranbir’s way, “That perhaps is also because my performance as Lord Rama became the touchstone. It is still alive in the hearts and minds of people. Nobody wants to see another Rama. You know, my Ramayan keeps playing somewhere or the other at any given time. Even today in North and Central India, whenever there are melas and tamashas and photos of Rama are sold, they have my face on them. So, for me, to talk about an star's performance as Lord Rama doesn’t feel right,” he added.
Notably, Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is the first part of a duology. The movie stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Part 1 is running in theatres, while part 2 is scheduled for rollout in 2028.
As per the latest buzz, Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Movie Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times