Addinath Kothare Discusses His Journey to Playing Bharat in Nitesh Tiwari's Upcoming Ramayana

Actor Addinath Kothare stars as Bharat in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming two-part film adaptation, Ramayana, which is also known internationally as Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.

The Casting Process

Addinath initially auditioned for the role of Lakshman before being cast as Bharat. The casting process, handled by Mukesh Chhabra, required him to perform a scene where Lakshman asks Sita to stay inside the forest hut and draws a protective line for safety. The actor underwent several months of auditions across multiple rounds. His association with the project also connects back to his school days at Mumbai's Bombay Scottish School, where a common filmmaker friend, Binoy Gandhi, once introduced him to co-star Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Lord Rama in the movie.

Filming and Production

His first few days on set involved shooting the wedding sequence in Mithila for the song Mangal Rang, where the four brothers stand alongside their brides. He also highlighted the detailed recreation of Ayodhya and Chitrakoot sets, particularly during the emotional Bharat Milap sequence. Addinath praised Nitesh Tiwari's three-hour screenplay as a masterclass in condensing a vast epic while preserving its core emotions. The large-scale project features an ensemble cast including Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravie Dubey, Lara Dutta, Sheeba Chaddha, Arun Govil, Vivek Oberoi, Rakul Preet Singh, and Kajal Aggarwal, with the second part scheduled to release in 2028.

Context

Adapting ancient Indian epics for modern cinema requires immense production scale and careful script condensation to appeal to contemporary audiences while respecting traditional source material. Major cinematic projects of this magnitude often rely on extensive multi-month casting searches to find actors who can visually and emotionally fit together as an on-screen family.