Cinema rarely knows what to do with Indra. For decades, screen adaptations reduced heaven’s sovereign ruler to an anxious schemer who quakes on his throne the moment an asura finishes penance. Kunal Kapoor wants that narrative scrapped. The actor stepped into the golden armor of the King of Devas for director Nitesh Tiwari's sprawling adaptation of Ramayana, and he sees far beyond a supporting credit. He wants an entire franchise built around the storm god.
He does not care if he headlines it. "I do think Lord Indra deserves his own film, whether it happens with me or without me, because it's a character big enough for its own universe," Kapoor said. Modern depictions, he stressed, stripped the ruler of his ferocity. "Lord Indra's character has been misinterpreted in recent years. He was presented like the warrior and king that he was, I guess that resonated with people."
Indra’s screen currency historically suffered from flat caricature. Yet the Vedic texts sketch an intimidating, paradoxical figure—a warlord who commands lightning, storms, and legions of devas, while harboring deep paranoia over his sovereignty. That duality formed the foundation of Kapoor’s performance on set.
I didn't really approach it as one or the other. What drew me to Indra is that he is both at the same time. I've always enjoyed playing characters who are strong on the outside but carry a vulnerability inside, and with Indra you have the king of the heavens, someone who commands armies and thunder and lightning but has his own set of insecurities.
Stepping onto a mythological set in contemporary India requires delicate footing. Millions do not regard these texts as secular folklore; they view them as sacred truth. Kapoor acknowledged that cultural weight dictated every day of production. "You're always aware of it, because for millions of people this isn't a character; it's faith, and you walk onto that set with a lot of respect for that," Kapoor explained, crediting Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra for fostering a secure, focused production floor.
| Production Element | Confirmed Detail |
|---|---|
| Lord Ram | Ranbir Kapoor |
| Ravana | Yash |
| Sita | Sai Pallavi |
| Lakshman | Ravi Dubey |
| Lord Indra | Kunal Kapoor |
| Director | Nitesh Tiwari |
| Producer |
Tiwari’s production remains one of the heaviest commercial gambles mounted in Mumbai. Ramayana Part One brings together an inter-industry ensemble, pairing Hindi cinema headliner Ranbir Kapoor against Kannada heavyweight Yash, who steps into Lanka’s throne as Ravana. Sai Pallavi anchors the drama as Sita, alongside television veteran Ravi Dubey as Lakshman.
Ambitions for the project already extend past domestic ticket counters. The production team has formally entered Ramayana into the Oscar race, submitting the film for consideration with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Audiences will soon see if the visual scale matches the dramatic claims, while the creative team prepares the ground for Ramayana Part Two, locked for a 2028 theatrical rollout.
| Namit Malhotra |
| Sequel Timeline | Ramayana Part Two slated for 2028 |