Mumbai: Actor Indira Krishnan has opened up about facing online trolling over her casting as Ranbir Kapoor’s mother in the upcoming film ‘Ramayana’.
Recalling the backlash, she revealed that some social media users questioned her decision to play the mother of an actor they accused of being a “beef-eater”.
She also alleged that the criticism was driven by “paid trolls”.
Even before its release, ‘Ramayana: Part One’ faced scrutiny over several creative and technical choices.
Its CGI-heavy first glimpse drew criticism, with viewers questioning whether the visual effects would compromise the epic’s earthy authenticity.
Sai Pallavi’s casting as Sita also sparked debate over her appearance, screen presence and Hindi diction, while Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Rama became another point of contention.
Social media users questioned whether his public image aligned with the serenity, innocence and moral restraint traditionally associated with Rama.
Comparisons with Arun Govil, whose portrayal of Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s television adaptation remains iconic, further intensified the debate.
In an exclusive interview with News18, Indira Krishnan, who plays Kaushalya in the film, spoke about how audience perceptions of ‘Ramayana’ evolved between its announcement and release.
“The audience needs to understand that making such a big film is a complete risk for Namit Malhotra (producer). He has broken the barriers and pushed the envelope to showcase Ramayana to the world of today. People, the world over, are comparing it to The Odyssey today. But before they saw the film, most audiences weren’t convinced,” she was quoted as saying by News18.
“They were almost disappointed that Ranbir was cast as Rama. I remember getting texts that read, ‘So, you’re playing a beef eater’s mother?’ There was too much going on,” she added.
The controversy gained traction after a 2011 interview resurfaced in which Ranbir had spoken about being a beef enthusiast, prompting some to question his casting as Rama.
Recalling how Ranbir dealt with the criticism, Indira said, “Ranbir was trolled so badly. But that man never uttered a word or reacted to any of it. He just came on set and gave his 200 percent. I feel some of these trolls were paid. Some thought Ramayana wouldn’t be a success.”
She felt that people had been too quick to judge the film, overlooking the hard work and effort that went into making it.
“Before trolling, one must understand that we attempted to bring Indian cinema on a global platform with this film. Dhurandhar also went through its own share of trolling but it emerged as a big success. But I wouldn’t want to compare Ramayana to any other film. It’s immaculate and spectacular. We’re so happy that we could create something like this for the world audience,” she stated.
Indira had previously revealed that Ranbir had recommended her name for the project. Recalling how the conversation unfolded on the sets of ‘Animal’, she said:
“On the last day of Animal, Rashmika (Mandanna) told me she would want me to play her mom again – on a Telugu film next. Then Ranbir said, ‘Why just hers? You can play my mom also.’ I told them at that time, ‘Yes, next time, I’ll play Ranbir’s mom.’ I think I manifested this completely. I’m very thankful to Ranbir, who put in a good word for me to team Ramayana,” she said.