Saurabh Sachdeva is currently basking in the attention surrounding Ramayana. In the Nitesh Tiwari directorial, the actor plays Marich, a key ally of Ravana (essayed by Yash). The epic features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita.
While the film has generated considerable buzz, a section of the audience has also criticised its portrayal of the Hindu epic. In a recent interview with Variety, Saurabh opened up about the criticism, revealing that the team had anticipated different reactions.
He also spoke about the challenges of portraying characters from the epic, particularly Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, saying that Ranbir and Sai had the “toughest job”.
Speaking about the different interpretations of the Ramayana and his own preparation for Marich, Saurabh told the publication, “We knew this would happen. There are different versions of ‘Ramayan' and people can debate on that too. While researching for my role, I read different versions, which made me realize I could play it in multiple ways. But then, Nitesh Tiwari said, ‘You have to play it this way because that's how I want it to be.'”
The actor further explained why the director's vision was important in bringing the film together. He added, “I realized that if everyone stuck to their version, the final output could be very different. We didn't want to spoil the film or disrespect the faith. He was like our North Star, guiding us. He was clear about what he wanted. While I could play Marich in a certain manner, playing Lord Rama and Sita was the toughest job. People have their perceptions, which makes it difficult. For me, I still had the leverage to change my body, voice and attitude.”
Saurabh also had words of appreciation for his co-stars, including Ravie Dubey, who plays Lakshman, Rakul Preet Singh, who essays Surpanakha, and Arun Govil, who plays King Dasharatha. Praising their performances, he said, “I think Ravie's (Dubey) performance was quite beautifully done. Rakul Preet Singh also surprised me in a way. Arun Govil was a surprise package too,”
Ramayana is being released as a two-part epic. The first instalment, which hit theatres on November 5, is currently running in cinemas, while the second part is scheduled to arrive on the big screen in 2028.
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