With Ramayana taking over discussion everywhere from social media to drawing rooms and our very own offices, The Free Press Journal caught up with actress Sonia Balani, who is playing Urmila, wife of Lord Lakshmana in the movie. Previously seen in movies and series such as The Kerala Story (2023), Murder In Mahim (2024) and Bazaar (2018), she opens up to us about the Ramayan journey, the difficulties of the film world and more.
How did you become part of Ramayana?
Through auditioning with Mukesh Chhabra. When they called me to audition for Urmila, I asked if I could audition for both Urmila and Shurpanakha. However, I was told that Shurpanakha was already locked. So I went ahead with the Urmila audition, and interestingly, it was one of the quickest casting processes I’ve experienced. Within a day of my audition, I was locked for the role. I guess they really liked my audition, and I’m truly grateful that it brought me on board this film.
Did you realise that the film would be subjected to so much discussion?
Yes, absolutely. I knew it would be widely discussed, given the scale of the film. Ramayana is an epic we’ve all grown up listening to, deeply rooted in our culture and carrying generations of emotions and sentiments. When something so close to people’s hearts is brought to the screen on such a grand scale, discussion is inevitable. I was aware of that and was absolutely game for it.
Could you describe the kind of sets you witnessed?
They were among the grandest sets I’ve ever been on. It felt almost unreal, as if I had actually travelled back to Ramji’s era. Everything, from the costumes and the way people dressed and spoke to even the plates we ate in, was so thoughtfully recreated. The grandeur was fascinating. There were also portions with green screens, and I remember wondering how spectacular they would look once the VFX was added. Having seen the film, I can say it was even more magnificent than I had imagined.
Any anecdotes you can tell us about working with Ranbir, Sai, Ravi?
With Sai, I remember how she was constantly travelling and shooting back-to-back, sometimes travelling all the way from the South. She would be so exhausted that she occasionally caught little naps between shots on set.
With Ravi, one thing that stayed with me was when I asked him about playing Lakshman. He said, “We never choose a role; the role chooses us.” I found that beautiful.
And with Ranbir, I remember seeing him practise his dialogues with such intensity that I genuinely thought he was chanting a mantra! When I asked him, he laughed and said he was just rehearsing his lines.
How difficult or easy has your journey in the film industry been till now?
Honestly, becoming an actor has been the most challenging journey of my life so far. There have been countless challenges I never anticipated — rejections, staying confident and emotionally strong, continuing to practise my craft, and following my heart even when other opportunities might have offered more money. I’ve also experienced things in this industry that can be quite humiliating, and learning to stand up for yourself without being rude, while never compromising your self-worth, is a constant balancing act.
But I genuinely enjoy challenges. I want to look back one day and see how far I’ve come despite all of this. I often feel the most interesting stories are the ones filled with struggles. I look at this journey almost like solving a difficult maths problem we had in school — the tougher it was, the more satisfying it felt to crack it. And I want to experience that feeling of being a winner when I finally crack this one.
