He's the best we have: Ravie Dubey backs Ranbir as Lord Ram amid casting criticism
Actor Ravie Dubey, who plays Lakshman in Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, has heaped praise on co-star Ranbir Kapoor, who essays Lord Ram in the epic. Calling Ranbir “simply the best we have”, Ravie spoke about the actor’s sincerity, work ethic and grounded nature, offering a glimpse into his experience of working with the superstar.
Ranbir’s casting as Lord Ram has sparked mixed reactions on social media, but Ravie believes the actor is the right choice for the role. Speaking to Variety India, he said, “I think Ranbir is simply the best we have. He is a superstar of epic proportions, but what has stayed with me even more is the human being and the artiste I have witnessed at close range.”
The Jamai Raja actor went on to highlight the 43-year-old actor’s dedication and preparation, saying that he got to witness firsthand the qualities he had heard about before working with the actor.
“The sincerity with which he comes onto a set is unparalleled. His work ethic, etiquette, intensity and preparation; I had heard so much about these things, but I had the privilege of witnessing them firsthand. And alongside all of that is this incredibly grounded, warm and inclusive nature. There is no weight of his stardom in the way he interacts with people. I find that enormously inspiring. It is my great good fortune to be a part of this journey alongside Ranbir, Namit Malhotra, Nitesh Tiwari, Yash, Sai Pallavi and every single person associated with Ramayana,” he said.
Further, Ravie described his association with Ramayana as an “extraordinary moment” and said he had consciously tried to keep his personal ambitions in check while working on the project.
“With this film, I have constantly reminded myself that the larger purpose of all of us coming together and that includes me, is to bring glory to Shri Ram’s name. So whenever thoughts of ambition or achievement surfaced, I have tried to return to one solitary and solid sentiment, which is surrender,” he shared.
Ravie had earlier spoken about Ranbir’s commitment to playing Lord Ram and revealed that the actor had made significant personal sacrifices for the film. In a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia last year, Ravie discussed how deeply Ramayana had influenced its cast and crew.
He shared how the role had changed him and required him to transform himself to do complete justice to the character.
“All of us did, including Ranbir Kapoor. He has sacrificed so much for this film. This feels more like a yagya. We all did everything in our power to stay true to these characters in how we behave, react, and even speak,” he said.
Recently, the makers released the first track, Jai Jai Ram from the film. Composed by AR Rahman, written by Kumar Vishwas and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, the song was unveiled on September 14, on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. The song brings several important moments from Lord Ram's life to the screen, from his wedding to Sita to his reunion with Bharat.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Yash as Ravan, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
The film is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations. Sony Pictures is handling its global distribution outside India.
Ramayana Part One is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on Diwali 2026.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 17, 2026 17:11 ISTALSO READ | Decoding Ramayana's trailer score: How Zimmer and Rahman found its heartbeat
