Arun Govil reveals why he was reluctant to play King Dashrath in Ramayana

Arun Govil, who became synonymous with Lord Rama following his portrayal in Ramanand Sagar’s iconic television adaptation of the Ramayana, has revealed that he was initially reluctant to play King Dashrath in Nitesh Tiwari’s cinematic retelling of the epic.

Why Arun Govil finally said yes to playing Dashrath

In a recent interview with Variety India, the actor said it took the director’s persistence to convince him to take up the role.

“Had I felt it wasn't right, I would not have done it. To be honest, initially, I didn't want to do this role. But Nitesh Tiwari, the director, was insistent. They wanted some connect between our Ramayan and this Ramayana,” Arun said. 

Nitesh's decision to cast Arun as King Dashrath was seen as a casting coup, bringing together two generations of the Ramayana on screen. However, the film's portrayal of Lord Rama, played by Ranbir Kapoor, has also invited comparisons with Govil's much-loved interpretation of the character.

Arun Govil weighs in on the comparisons with Ranbir

Addressing the comparisons and the criticism directed at Ranbir's performance, Arun acknowledged that his portrayal had become a benchmark for audiences over the years. “That perhaps is also because my performance as Lord Rama became the touchstone. It is still alive in the hearts and minds of people. Nobody wants to see another Rama. You know, my Ramayan keeps playing somewhere or the other at any given time. Even today in North and Central India, whenever there are melas and tamashas and photos of Rama are sold, they have my face on them. So, for me, to talk about an actor's performance as Lord Rama doesn’t feel right,” he added.

Ramayana's record-breaking box office success

Meanwhile, Ramayana: Part I, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana, has crossed the Rs 650-crore mark at the worldwide box office within five days of its release.

The film's ensemble cast also includes Lara Dutta, Indira Krishnan, Sonal Jha, Adinath Kothare, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, and others.

The second instalment of the two-part adaptation is scheduled to arrive in theatres in 2028. The film's music brings together Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, marking Zimmer's debut in Indian cinema.

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