Being part of a film as grand as Ramayana has been a memorable experience for actor Addinath Kothare. Recalling his first day of shooting in Ayodhya, the actor shared how it felt to work alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Ravi Dubey in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic.
The makers of the film recently announced that the Nitesh Tiwari directorial will release in theatres worldwide on November 5, ahead of Diwali. The announcement was made on the first day of Navratri.
The film is being made in two parts and will bring the ancient Indian epic to the big screen on a grand scale. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, Ravi Dubey plays Lakshman, while Addinath has been cast as Bharath.
Addinath Kothare Recalls First Day On Ramayana Set
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Kothare recalled arriving on the set in Ayodhya on the first day of shooting. He said the main cast, including Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Ravi Dubey, was present.
“It was absolutely surreal. I remember the first day of shoot when I was there and we were shooting something in Ayodhya… the whole cast was there. Ranbir [Kapoor], Ravi [Dubey], Sai [Pallavi], and everyone,” he said.
The actor said he was focused on his character while filming, but the scale of the experience struck him after he returned home. “Obviously when you are shooting in that flow then you are not affected by it as one has to be in that character… but I remember coming back home and sitting with my family and thinking, ‘What just happened today!'” he added.
The actor also spoke about being part of such a large project and praised director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra and cinematographer Pankaj Kumar.
“I am part of something that is so huge. Nitesh [Tiwari] sir, Namit [Malhotra] sir, the DoP Pankaj Kumar… we have the best team in the world. AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer, it is a big deal. We have grown up with their music, The Dark Knight and all the other films he has scored… I am part of such a prestigious venture, I feel God has been kind to me that I am in this project,” he said.
About Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation of the ancient Indian epic attributed to sage Valmiki. The story follows Lord Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya and his journey through various trials.
The film features an ensemble cast, including Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey, Sunny Deol, Yash, Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan and Lara Dutta, among others.
It is produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash under Prime Focus Studios, Monster Mind Creations and DNEG. The first part is scheduled to release around Diwali this year, while the second part is planned for Diwali 2027.
The films will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. They will also be available in IMAX theatres. Sony Pictures will oversee international distribution, excluding India, while Dharma Productions will manage distribution across the Hindi-speaking market.
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