Ramanand Sagar Vs Namit Malhotra's Ramayana: How New Cast Compares With The Iconic Original

With the trailer of Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana being online, there are several opinions floating on social media. Some are impressed with the casting and VFX, whereas others criticised the lack of emotional connection. Whenever we talk about the epic of Ramayana and its portayal on screens, the conversation around Ramanand Sagar’s TV show ‘Ramayan’ is often heard. But is it fair to compare a four-decade-old TV show that moved millions of viewers with devotion to the new grand spectacle created for a global scale?

How Is The Cast Of Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana Different From Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan?

It is not entirely fair to compare both projects because the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer has not yet arrived in theatres yet. But there are some stark differences that viewers pointed out while watching the new trailer.

1. Unknown faces vs Pan-India stars:

In Ramanand Sagar’s TV series, almost all the actors were fairly new and were cast after defeating thousands of people in the audition. While watching the show on their TV screens, Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia became the embodiment of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita for the viewers. However, in the new film, the audience is already familiar with Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash’s work, making it less convincing for people to see them in divine roles.

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2. Carrying Legacy Forward:

As there have been several adaptations of Ramayana, the new cast has to fill many shoes and carry the legacy forward set by other actors. Moreover, Ramayana is being promoted on a global scale and has the responsibility to represent one of the greatest Indian epic.

3. Character Image:

The cast of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan became synomyous to the characters they played and were even worshipped like gods even after the show ended. The new cast has been facing constant scrutiny to replicate that divine image created by the previous projects on Ramayana.

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Ranbir Kapoor will portray Lord Rama, with Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Ravie Dubey as Laxman, and Yash as Ravana. The supporting cast includes Arun Govil as Raja Dashrath, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara, and Indira Krishnan as Kaushalya. Sunny Deol is also confirmed to play Lord Hanuman.

(Image Credit: YouTube)
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