Before Ranbir Kapoor, his great grandfather Prithviraj played the role of Lord Ram.
Ranbir Kapoor’s casting as Lord Ram comes with an unexpected heritage twist involving early Indian cinema – dating back almost a century.
As anticipation grows all around RamayanaStarring Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Ram, a fascinating part of cinematic history has come to the fore again. Almost 92 years before this big-budget retelling, Ranbir’s great-grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor, played the deity on screen.
The generational relationship adds a unique layer to Ranbir’s upcoming film directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The first teaser was released on April 2 on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, and the film is already garnering attention for its grand looks and scale.
❮❯
However, not many people know about this legacy moment in Indian cinema.
When did Prithviraj Kapoor play the role of Lord Ram?
The association dates back to 1934, when Prithviraj Kapoor played the role of Lord Ram in the film Black and White SitaDirected by Debaki Bose. The film stars Durga Khote in the title role of Sita, while Mukhtar Begum, Dheeraj Bhattacharya and Gul Hamid also feature in its cast. KC Dey, uncle of famous singer Manna Dey, composed the music.
Sita achieved global recognition, and was the earliest Indian talkie to be screened at an international film festival. According to IMDb, the film won an Honorary Diploma at the Venice International Film Festival, an important milestone for Indian cinema on the world stage.
Why does Prithviraj Kapoor’s casting feel significant today?
Ranbir Kapoor steps into the role of Ram after almost a century, creating a rare generational full circle. While Prithviraj Kapoor was part of the early evolution of Hindi cinema, Ranbir is one of Bollywood’s most ambitious modern productions. Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana It is a two-part cinematic interpretation of the epic, which is rumored to have a combined budget of around Rs 4,000 crore.
Who are the other stars with Ranbir in Ramayana?
The upcoming adaptation stars Ranbir as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. first installment of two parts Ramayana Diwali is proposed in 2026 and the second in 2027.