Mumbai: As Ranbir Kapoor gears up for the release of Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’, an old Bollywood story has resurfaced.
Long before Ranbir was cast as Lord Ram, Salman Khan was reportedly set to headline another ambitious adaptation of the Hindu epic, which was to be directed by his brother, Sohail Khan, in the 1990s.
Although the project had reportedly begun production, it was never completed.
Media reports at the time claimed the film was shelved following controversy surrounding Sohail’s alleged relationship with actor Pooja Bhatt.
As per a report by Mid-Day, Pooja had even hinted at marriage with Sohail in 1995. However, the relationship reportedly failed to win the approval of Sohail’s family.
Reports claimed that his father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, opposed the relationship and advised Sohail to end it.
The reported fallout is believed to have impacted the ambitious ‘Ramayana’ project.
Pooja eventually exited the film, and despite efforts to keep the production on track, the project was ultimately shelved.
Reports further claimed that nearly 40 per cent of the film had already been completed before it was shelved.
More than three decades later, ‘Ramayana’ is finally set to reach the big screen in a new avatar.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the upcoming adaptation stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana.
Mounted on a grand scale as a two-part saga, the first instalment is scheduled to release in theatres on November 6, 2026, followed by the second part during Diwali 2027.
