Now Reading: Varun Grover slams Ramayan TV actors over film criticism
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Varun Grover slams Ramayan TV actors over film criticism
The Story in Brief
Writer and lyricist Varun Grover has criticised actors from Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan' for their comments on Nitesh Tiwari's film 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend', calling their stance 'entitlement as if they are actual avatars' in a post on X on 12 November. His remarks follow reactions from the original TV cast, including Dipika Chikhlia and Sunil Lahri.
Dipika Chikhlia, who played Sita, had earlier in July told Variety India she was unsure about Sai Pallavi's casting, saying 'Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan', but later praised the film's box-office success after its release on 5 November. Sunil Lahri, who played Lakshman, gave a mixed video review, praising VFX but noting a lack of 'devotional sentiment'.
Meanwhile, voice artist Sharad Kelkar said he dubbed for Yash's Ravana by portraying the character as 'a hero on the wrong side' rather than a conventional villain. The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, has crossed Rs 1,000 crore globally.
Update, 14 November 2026: Mathrubhumi now reports that voice artist Sharad Kelkar said he dubbed for Yash's Ravana by thinking of the character as 'a hero on the wrong side'. This adds a new production perspective to the debate over the film's portrayal of Ravana.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The coverage divides into two camps. Times of India, NDTV and Mathrubhumi report Varun Grover's critique and the actors' reactions as a straight celebrity news item, neutral in tone. Deccan Herald runs a premium piece accusing the film of a 'socialist' makeover of Ravana, carrying a right-wing framing that foregrounds alleged misrepresentation. The News Minute offers a left-leaning analysis arguing the film is a 'propaganda machine' that pleases neither liberals nor the right-wing ecosystem. Sharad Kelkar's comments, carried only by Mathrubhumi, add a pro-production perspective. The differing stances reveal that the film's depiction of Ravana has become a flashpoint, with each outlet using the controversy to advance its own ideological lens.
Coverage: 5 sources, 1 left-leaning, 1 right-leaning, 3 neutral
Sources (5): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), thenewsminute.com (left leaning), ndtv.com (neutral report), deccanherald.com (right leaning), mathrubhumi.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
