Did Kangana Ranaut Take A Cryptic Dig At Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana Over Actors' Costumes?

Actress Kangana Ranaut sparked speculation about a possible dig at Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi-starrer Ramayana after sharing a post criticising the way characters from mythology are portrayed in recent films. On Friday (September 18), the actress and BJP MP shared a video clip from an older devotional film. Along with it, Kangana praised the way mythology was presented in older cinema while taking aim at the use of modern-looking costumes in recent films based on religious figures.

However, the source of the clip is unclear.

Along with the video, she wrote, "More access people have to technology more they are regressing, we see recent movies based on Gods even thousands years ago they are dressed like contemporary TV serials, designers seem to have no regard for the description in the shastras, meanwhile decades ago no VFX or CGI shoot masters were doing as described in the scriptures, see the results, Jai Meenakashi Amma."

Kangana did not mention Ramayana or any of its actors by name in the post. However, her comments have led to speculation online, as Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming Ramayana has faced criticism over the costumes and styling of several characters following the release of its trailer.

Ramayana costumes face criticism

The looks of Sai Pallavi as Sita and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi have been among the aspects discussed on social media. Some users have questioned the modern styling of the costumes, while others have compared certain looks to those seen in TV mythological shows.

Costume designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula have since addressed the criticism and explained the creative choices behind the film's costumes. They said the designs were interpretations shaped by cultural references, the requirements of filmmaking and the scale of the project, rather than attempts to recreate a single historically established version of how people dressed during the Ramayana period.

The designers have also spoken about the film's intended global audience and the challenge of presenting the Indian epic to viewers across the world. Their comments came amid the ongoing discussion around the styling of characters including Sita and Kaikeyi.

Kangana previously criticised Ramayana casting

This is not the first time Kangana has voiced criticism related to Ramayana. In 2023, she had expressed her disappointment over Ranbir Kapoor being cast as Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari's film.

At the time, Kangana made several personal allegations and criticised Kapoor's suitability for the role. She also questioned his earlier portrayal of Lord Shiva in the Brahmastra franchise.