Ramayana movie release to be Ranbir Kapoor's daughter Raha's official film debut? Actor reveals 'she has given a shot with...'

Ranbir Kapoor's new film Ramayana has a special connection to his family beyond his role as Lord Rama. The actor has revealed that his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Raha Kapoor has already shot for a scene as part of the ambitious adaptation, marking her first ever experience in front of the camera for a film.

In a conversation with BBC News India, Ranbir spoke about how Raha has developed a liking for the Hindu epic due to the stories that he and wife Alia Bhatt often tell her. She has also become more connected to the world of Ramayana, due to her visits to the film sets.

Ranbir Kapoor reveals how Raha became part of Ramayana

Talking about his daughter's involvement in the film, Ranbir said, “Raha herself is so interested in the story of the Ramayana. Me and Alia (Bhatt), we always tell her stories. She has visited the sets many times. She has given a shot with Sai and Lakshman (Ravie Dubey) also. So she's really been a part of this journey. I am so happy that this would be the first story that she will watch on screen because I would like her to watch it.”


The actor also told how closely Raha follows the progress of the film. He recalled she would sometimes ask him about the characters and scenes he had been filming.

“Just to see a three-and-a-half-year-old so engaged and asking, ‘Did you shoot with Hanuman today? Did you shoot with Sita today? What did you shoot today?’ She has so much interest in the story, which says a lot,” he said.

However, it remains unclear whether the shot featuring Raha has made it into the film's final theatrical version.

The actor has previously spoken about looking forward to watching Ramayana with Raha. For him, the film is not just another major acting project but also an opportunity to share a story that has become familiar to his daughter.

There is another family occasion around the film's release. Raha will turn four on November 6, two days before Diwali. Ranbir described his daughter as the ‘diya’ of his life and said the upcoming celebrations would be particularly special.

Ramayana early reviews

The film has got some positive reactions from critics and viewers who have seen it ahead of its wider theatrical release. The Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw described it as "highly enjoyable", calling it a "thoroughly engaging, rousing and spectacular Indian epic melodrama".

Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru praised its visual presentation, describing it as “a visually dazzling action adventure with great set and costume design”.

Early reactions on X have also highlighted the performances, action sequences, visual effects and music. One viewer described it as "A grand cinematic experience with beautiful visuals, powerful performances and an emotional story." Another user called it an "EPIC ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER", praising Ranbir's portrayal of Lord Rama and Yash's performance as Ravana.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana features Ranbir as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman.