Mukesh Khanna Slams Ramayana Makers Over Sita's Fighter Avatar, Recalls Adipurush

Mukesh Khanna has criticised Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana over Sita's portrayal as a fighter. Citing Valmiki's epic and Adipurush's backlash, he has warned the filmmakers against changing the original narrative

Actor Mukesh Khanna has expressed strong reservations about the portrayal of Goddess Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi. His primary objection is reportedly directed at the decision to present Sita as a fighter.

Referring to Valmiki's Ramayana, Khanna argued that the epic does not describe Sita participating in battles. He questioned the creative decision to portray her as someone who fights like Rani Lakshmibai or contemporary action heroines.

According to Khanna, Sita's character represents dignity, devotion and restraint rather than physical combat. He also questioned why Ravana could abduct her if she was being depicted as a warrior capable of fighting back.

Actor Accuses Filmmakers of Changing the Original Epic

Khanna's criticism also extends to the filmmakers' creative liberties with the source material. Producer Namit Malhotra had reportedly clarified that the sequence featuring Sita in a fighter avatar was inspired by the Adbhut Ramayana rather than Valmiki's version of the epic.

However, the explanation did little to convince the veteran actor. He questioned the decision to introduce additional interpretations into a story that has been deeply rooted in Indian culture and religious traditions for generations.

Khanna argued that filmmakers should avoid adding their own narratives to Valmiki's Ramayana. He also suggested that the production appeared more focused on recovering its massive investment than presenting the epic in a manner that respects its original traditions.

Mukesh Khanna Recalls Adipurush and Warns Ramayana Makers

Drawing a comparison with Om Raut's Adipurush, Khanna warned the makers of Ramayana against making changes that could upset audiences. The Prabhas-starrer faced widespread criticism over its character portrayals, dialogues and visual interpretation of the Hindu epic following its release.

Khanna suggested that the makers should remember the public reaction to Adipurush before taking creative liberties with another adaptation of the Ramayana.

Interestingly, the actor also clarified that he has not watched Nitesh Tiwari's film. His opinion is based on the promotional material released by the makers on social media and the reviews he has come across.