Varun Grover Takes A Dig At Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan Actors Sunil Lahri, Dipika Chikhlia For Commenting On Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana

Writer and lyricist Varun Grover criticised actors from Ramanand Sagar's iconic television show Ramayan for publicly commenting on Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film adaptation of the epic. Calling out what he described as their 'entitlement', Varun said the actors were reacting to the new film as if they were actual avatars of the characters they once portrayed.

Several actors from the original Ramayan, including Sunil Lahri and Dipika Chikhlia, have shared their opinions on the film ever since it was announced. From questioning the casting of Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi to commenting on the costumes and creative decisions, the actors have expressed their views on various aspects of the project.

Varun Grover Calls Out 'Entitlement' Of Ramayan Actors

Taking to X, Varun reacted to the comments made by the actors from Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan. He wrote, "Actors from Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana commenting on the new film with the entitlement as if they are actual avatars."

Sunil Lahri Says Ramayana Lacks Devotional Sentiment

Sunil Lahri, who portrayed Lakshman in the television series, shared his views on the new Ramayana through a video review. While he appreciated the film's visual effects, performances and cinematography, he felt that it lacked the devotional sentiment and divine essence associated with the epic.

Sunil also pointed out certain sequences that he believed could have been presented better. He mentioned the Parashurama episode, questioned the absence of the Ahalya episode and shared his reservations about the way Shurpanakha and Sita address Lord Ram in the film.

He also stated that Ravana, played by Yash, was glorified in the film.

When Dipika Chikhlia Questioned Sai Pallavi's Casting

Dipika Chikhlia, who became popular for portraying Sita in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, had earlier expressed uncertainty about Sai Pallavi playing the same character in Nitesh Tiwari's film.

In an interview with Variety India in July, Dipika said she was unsure about how the actor would look as Sita. She also spoke about the pressure the new adaptation would face because of the popularity of the television series, which continues to enjoy a strong following.

She had said, “I have seen her work. She’s a phenomenal actor. But I don’t know how she’ll look like Sita. Once we see her, we’ll know. Sitaji with curly hair is not mentioned in Ramayan. I think our Ramayan will weigh very heavily on the Ramayana film. Our Ramayan was also watched by the new generation when it aired on Doordarshan during the pandemic. So, it’s very difficult to erase that.”

However, Dipika recently had words of praise for the film while interacting with paparazzi. Reacting to its box-office performance, she said that she had expected it to succeed and appreciated its visuals, VFX and star cast.

About Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is the first instalment of a two-part cinematic adaptation of the Hindu epic. The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Arun Govil, who famously portrayed Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's television series, plays King Dashrath in the film.

The film was released in theatres worldwide on November 5, 2026. The second part is scheduled to hit the big screens in 2028.