The makers of Nitesh Tiwari‘s Ramayana hosted the grand Ramayana: Pratham Sankalp event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday, where Ranbir Kapoor paid a heartfelt tribute to veteran actor Arun Govil, who immortalised the role of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar‘s iconic television series.The event marked the beginning of the promotional campaign for the much-awaited two-part epic and brought together the film’s cast and crew.During the event, Ranbir addressed Arun Govil with an emotional speech, acknowledging the veteran actor’s lasting impact on generations of viewers.Instead of comparing himself to Govil’s legendary portrayal, Ranbir said he considers it an inspiration and hopes to carry forward the values the actor brought to the role.“Arun ji, you have represented this responsibility for so many years with such beauty, truth and dignity,” Ranbir said.He added, “Your journey has inspired not only an actor like me, but every person who watched Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan. You gave people faith and inspiration.”Ranbir admitted that he would consider his efforts successful if he could capture even a small part of Govil’s portrayal.“The way you allowed Lord Shri Ram to become a part of you, if I can achieve even a fraction of that, I will feel that all my hard work has borne fruit.” The actor also spoke about growing up watching Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan.“Since childhood, I have grown up carrying Shri Ram’s blessings, his teachings and your face in my heart,” he said.Concluding his tribute, Ranbir added, “We love you like you are one of our own. Thank you for everything, sir.”Interestingly, Arun Govil is also part of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana. While he famously portrayed Lord Ram in the 1987 television adaptation, he will now play King Dasharath, Lord Ram’s father, in the upcoming film.
Ramayana trailer to release on July 24
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman.The two-part epic is being filmed for IMAX, with Part One scheduled for a Diwali 2026 release and Part Two set to arrive during Diwali 2027.The film’s first official trailer will premiere worldwide on July 24.
