Actor Mukesh Khanna criticizes Ramayana makers over Sita fight scene

Actor Mukesh Khanna has strongly criticized the makers of the upcoming film 'Ramayana' over a scene showing Sita as a warrior. In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Bhishma International', the Mahabharata fame actor expressed anger and questioned the thought process behind changing character details. He pointed out that Valmiki's original Ramayana does not show Sita fighting, as she was the wife of Maryada Purushottam and known for her service and living in exile, not as a fighter who would have fought off Ravana during her abduction. Khanna targeted producer Naming Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari's team, stating that makers are altering religious texts just to earn money and play with public faith. He noted that producers claimed the scene came from 'Adbhut Ramayana', but questioned what that text is compared to Valmiki's original work. He challenged filmmakers by asking if they would dare make similar changes to the Quran or Bible. Khanna also criticized actor Anupam Kher for praising the film, linking it to Kher voicing the character of Jatayu, and stated he refuses to buy a 1,200-rupee movie ticket to support these choices.

Context

Films based on Indian epics frequently draw intense public scrutiny and debate over creative liberties taken by filmmakers. These discussions often focus on how closely adaptations should follow traditional texts versus presenting modern cinematic interpretations.