📌 Key Points
- Sujay Reu praises Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Rama glimpse’ in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana.
- Reu played Lord Rama in Shrimad Ramayan (2024-2025), earning praise for his portrayal.
- Reu believes the Hindi film industry has lacked a definitive big-screen Ramayana adaptation.
- He cautions against comparing Ranbir’s portrayal to Arun Govil’s iconic role in Ramayan.
Sujay Reu, known for playing Lord Rama on TV, has shared his views on Ranbir Kapoor’s first look in the Ramayana teaser. While impressed, he advises viewers to avoid comparisons to Arun Govil’s legendary portrayal.
Sujay Reu on Ranbir Kapoor’s Look as Rama
Ranbir Kapoor’s first look as Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana was unveiled in the ‘Rama glimpse’ on Thursday. While the internet has had a field day with discussions and debates about the actor’s suitability for the role and dissection of the first look, Sujay Reu, the actor who most recently played Lord Rama on TV, is convinced of the look. Sujay, who played Lord Rama in Shrimad Ramayan, talks to HT exclusively about Ranbir’s look and the teaser, and offers a word of advice to the audience.
Sujay played Lord Rama in Shrimad Ramayan, which aired from 2024 to 2025. The actor earned praise for his portrayal of the deity, who has been played by NT Rama Rao, Arun Govil , and MG Ramachandran in the past. But he believes that Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana film will finally strike a chord with the audience.”
Authenticity in Ramayana Adaptations
Sujay admits that while television has produced some amazing adaptations of Valmiki’s Ramayana, the Hindi film industry has not delivered a definitive big-screen adaptation. Talking about that, Sujay says, “The only reason I could think of was that authenticity was missing. Viewers are emotionally connected with Ramayana and Ramji. Just the authenticity and divinity were missing, otherwise our movies have all the resources and VFX.”
Ever since the teaser dropped, the audience has been quick to react, both praising and criticising. But Sujay says the viewers should be patient and keep an open mind. “Don’t try to keep anyone in mind. I know it’s very difficult because even when I was doing Shrimad Ramayana, there was a comparison with Arun Govil ji. How can you compare anyone with him, because he is the poster boy Rama. It’s impossible to match up to his level because that Ramayana is a part of our culture,” he says, while cautioning the viewers against comparing the film with Ramanand Sagar’s iconic TV series, Ramayan. The TV show, which aired from 1987 to 1988, remains the most popular and acclaimed adaptation of the epic.
Avoiding Comparisons with Arun Govil
Sujay feels the film ‘should do well’. He elaborates, “The amount of hard work they have put shows in the teaser. The only advice to the audience is to give this Ramayana an opportunity.”
Ultimately, Sujay Reu urges audiences to maintain an open mind regarding Nitesh Tiwari’s film. While acknowledging Arun Govil’s iconic status, he hopes the new adaptation will resonate with viewers.
