Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is one of the most anticipated films of the year. With the release date approaching (November 5), fans are eagerly waiting to watch the mythological epic on the big screen. While many are looking forward to seeing Ranbir Kapoor in the role of Lord Rama, filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra, who is also Ranbir’s distant cousin, has revealed that he is particularly excited to watch the film for Ravie Dubey.
Siddharth P Malhotra says he’s dying to watch Ramayana
In a conversation with NDTV, Siddharth said he was ‘dying’ to watch Ramayana, but added that Ravie was his primary reason for looking forward to the film. He said, “I am dying to watch it. I love the look, but I love Ravi Dubey in it, because Ravi Dubey is someone I’ve launched, and Ravi Dubey is a brother to me, and I’m rooting for Ravi in the film, who’s playing Lakshman. And I’m excited, and I’m actually watching the film for Ravi first before Ranbir… Because Ravi is a brother to me, a younger brother to me, and he’s someone I really love as a human being. So my reason to watch Ramayana is, of course, Ramayana, but it’s first for Ravie Dubey.” Siddharth launched Ravie in the television industry with Yahan Ke Hum Sikandar.
Siddharth is related to Ranbir Kapoor through the Kapoor family. His grandfather was veteran actor Prem Nath, who was the brother of Krishna Malhotra, wife of Raj Kapoor. This makes Siddharth and Ranbir distant cousins. However, Siddharth said he was closer to the older generation of the Kapoor family and knew Kareena and Ranbir mainly as cousins.
He also expressed his desire to work with Ranbir, saying, “It’s a dream to work with Ranbir Kapoor. He’s the best actor in the country. But Ranbir Kapoor has the top of the top to choose from; why would he choose me unless I give him something that is beyond what the top of the top can give him? Why would he choose me? So I have to work hard to earn Ranbir Kapoor. He’s not going to come easy. Or Alia Bhatt.”
Siddharth added that he considers Ranbir and Alia the best actors in the industry, stressing that their talent, rather than their film-family backgrounds, is what sets them apart. He also said that everyone wants to work with them, making it extremely difficult for filmmakers to get an opportunity to collaborate with the two actors.
About Ramayana
Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman. Backed by Namit Malhotra and Yash, the film is reportedly mounted on a budget of ₹4,000 crore and is scheduled to release in two parts. The first part is set to release on November 5, 2026. The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on October 28, where it reportedly received glowing reviews from international audiences.