Veteran Actor Mukesh Khanna Criticises Filmmakers Over Sai Pallavi's Portrayal of Sita

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has raised objections to the portrayal of Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's film Ramayana, claiming the makers distorted facts by showing her as a warrior. Khanna, known for playing Bhisham Pitamah in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, shared his criticism in a YouTube vlog after forming his opinions from promos and reviews, noting that he has not yet watched the movie itself.

Character Depiction

Khanna specifically took issue with scenes showing Sai Pallavi's character fighting monsters, arguing that Valmiki's original Ramayana contains no such depiction. He stated that if Sita had been a fighter, she would have resisted Ravana during her abduction. He also questioned a producer's justification that the scene came from the Adbhuth Ramayana, asserting that filmmakers cannot deviate from Valmiki's text or fabricate sacred epics for entertainment. He further compared the filmmakers' choices to Ekta Kapoor's past alteration of Satyavati's character in Mahabharat.

Cast and Box Office

In response to questions about her role as a warrior princess, lead actor Sai Pallavi explained that she practiced sword fighting with stunt directors who wanted the movements to resemble a graceful dance for a princess. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana Part 1 features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as King Dashrath, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya, and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha. Sunny Deol is teased as Lord Hanuman for the next instalment, while the second part's release has shifted from Diwali next year to 2028. Meanwhile, industry tracker Sacnilk reports that the film has earned Rs 663.90 crore worldwide in five days, including a net collection of Rs 346.35 crore and a gross collection of Rs 413.90 crore in India as of Monday.

Context

Public reinterpretations of mythological epics frequently spark intense debates among audiences and traditionalists regarding creative liberties and historical fidelity. High-budget cinematic adaptations often face strict scrutiny over character authenticity compared to classical texts like Valmiki's Ramayana.