As anticipation builds around Nitesh Tiwari‘s ambitious mythological epic ‘Ramayana’, actor Sheeba Chadha has shared how she approached her role in the film. Despite the reported Rs 4,000 crore scale of the two-part project, the actor revealed that the film’s massive budget never influenced her performance, as her attention remained firmly on understanding her character.Speaking about working on one of Indian cinema’s biggest productions, Sheeba explained that she never allowed the film’s reported budget or grandeur to affect her mindset on set. “You don’t walk onto a set thinking of that. That would be very crazy,” Chadha, who is also preparing for Riz Ahmed-led ‘Hamlet’, told Variety India. She added, “When you go onto a set like that, for me, it’s a day of work. I’m just trying to do it as best as I can.“
Sheeba Chadha’s fresh perspective on Manthara
Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, ‘Ramayana’ stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. Sheeba essays the role of Manthara, the royal attendant whose actions alter the course of the epic.Rather than viewing Manthara as a one-dimensional antagonist, Sheeba chose to explore the character’s emotional motivations. “I don’t think I approached her with any preconceived notion. These are very well-etched characters, and I think this is a recalibration in understanding them,” she said.
Manthara’s bond with Kaikeyi shaped the performance for Sheeba Chadha
The actor explained that she built her portrayal around Manthara’s deep sense of loyalty towards Queen Kaikeyi. “In my head, she was almost like a protective mother to Kaikeyi. It came from a place of asking, ‘Why is that right not being given? Why is that space not being valued the same way?’ She is, in a way, simply looking out for her own,” Sheeba shared.She further elaborated that this emotional connection became the foundation of her performance. “That’s the only way I could go through it. Then, of course, the character is who she is. She’s acting upon that need, and she takes it to whatever degree because she has that emotional influence. Those are the tools that make sense to her,” she added.Sheeba believes actors can easily become overwhelmed if they constantly think about the size of a project instead of their own performance. “If you sit there and set your mind on the scale of it, it can get intimidating. For me, this is my character, this is my director, this is my co-actor. I just need to perform that moment to the best of my ability,” she said.
Release timeline of ‘Ramayana’
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, ‘Ramayana’ is planned as a two-part cinematic saga. The first instalment is scheduled to arrive in theatres during Diwali 2026, while the second chapter is slated for a 2027 release.
