After reports of Nitesh Tiwari's mythological magnum opus Ramayana being ready for production and going on floors in December this year, it has been reported that Alia Bhatt has stepped away from the project. As per Pinkvilla, Alia Bhatt will not be playing Sita in the project due to date issues. Earlier, it was reported that Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Yash -- KGF's leading man will play Lord Rama, Sita and Ravana in the film. As a result of Alia Bhatt's exit from the project, Ramayana is unlikely to commence shooting in December. Pinkvilla quoted a source as saying, “It's understandable that a magnum opus like Ramayana requires time and intense pre-production work, as they are going into the smallest details of everything to get it right on the screen. Which is why things are progressing at a slower pace.”
Speaking about the cast of the film, the source added, “Also, as far as the casting is concerned, Ranbir Kapoor is still committed to playing Lord Ram, while Alia Bhatt - who was approached for the project - is no longer part of it. The actress was in talks for the role of Goddess Sita, but the collaboration didn't work out because of date issues.” Meanwhile, real-life couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were last seen together in Brahmastra.
Speaking about Yash playing Ravana in the project, the source said that deliberations are still on between the superstar and the team. “The look test has already happened with Yash, and the conversation has progressed positively. The makers are optimistic about getting him on board, but he has not yet signed. Yash is also committed to National Award-winning director Geethu Mohandas for a big-scale action thriller, so his casting in the Ramayana depends on what he prioritises,” the insider explained.
Most recently, Ramayana was adapted for the big screen by Om Raut and Manoj Muntashir. Adipurush, starring Prabhas and Kriti Sanon was a critical and commercial failure.
Nitesh Tiwari directed the recently released Bawaal starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor. The film came under fire for dialogues related to Hitler and the Holocaust. A Jewish organisation Simon Wiesenthal Centre even wrote to Amazon Prime asking the streaming service to the film from the platform for its "insensitive portrayal" of the Holocaust.
