Yash is gearing up to play Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari‘s much-awaited ‘Ramayana‘, which also stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama. Since Yash is also a co-producer on the project, his choice to take on the antagonist’s role instead of the central hero has often sparked curiosity among fans. Recently, the KGF star opened up about what drew him to Ravana and why he believes individual stardom has taken a back seat on this project.
Yash explains why he chose Ravana over Lord Rama
Appearing on Aap Ki Adalat, when host Rajat Sharma asked why Yash opted for Ravana despite having the creative freedom of being a producer, the actor gave a simple explanation. He said, “Ram ka bhalai dikhane ke liye Ravan ka burai bhi toh chahiye (To show Ram’s goodness, we also need to show Ravan’s evil).” He then added with confidence, “Mujhse achcha burai koi dikha nahin sakta (No one can portray evil better than I can).“When Sharma jokingly asked if he had taken up the responsibility of playing the villain, Yash replied, “Jab main achha character bhi karunga na, mujhse achcha koi bhi nahin hoga (When I play a good character too, no one will be better than me).” The actor further explained that Ravana needs to come across as a powerful and intimidating force for the film’s core conflict to land effectively. “Ravan ko dekhkar lagna chahiye, ‘isko kaise maara jaaye?’ (Looking at Ravan, the audience should feel, ‘How can we kill him?’)” he said.Yash also made it clear that Ramayana isn’t being made to showcase any one actor’s stardom. He said, “We all have kept our egos aside. It’s not about my stardom or me as a star in Ramayana. The best people are working on this project.”
Yash on the challenge of bringing ‘Ramayana’ to screen
Yash acknowledged that viewers already carry deeply personal images of the epic and its characters in their minds. He shared that his own earliest connection to Ramayana came from hearing it narrated by his grandfather, long before television and films shaped his imagination further.He also spoke about the difficulty of retelling such a familiar story while staying respectful of religious sentiments. Yash said, “Ramayana is a part of our cultural memory. We have to keep the entertainment value. At the same time, we can’t hurt religious sentiments. It’s a difficult task, but we have to do it.”The actor also expressed support for producer Namit Malhotra, saying, “My friend Namit Malhotra has been risking his money. Let him do it, sir. He’s doing it for the country. People will watch it and bless him.”
More about ‘Ramayana’
Namit Malhotra had earlier revealed that the two-part ‘Ramayana’ carries a combined budget of nearly USD 500 million, translating to over Rs 4,000 crore. The first part is set to release worldwide in October 2026, ahead of Diwali, with the second instalment arriving during Diwali 2027. Apart from Yash and Ranbir Kapoor, the film also features Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol and Ravi Dubey in key roles.
