Mahabharat actor Nitish Bharadwaj withdrew his praise for the new Ramayana film. He said, "I withdraw my initial appreciation." The actor got disappointed with the movie’s portrayal of Ravan and questioned its interpretation of the epic. He showed that visual effects cannot replace the core values of the story.

Mahabharat actor Nitish Bharadwaj has withdrawn his earlier praise for Ranbir Kapoor starrer Ramayana, criticising its portrayal of Ravan and saying the film disappointed him.

Actor Nitish Bharadwaj, best known for playing Lord Krishna in BR Chopra's iconic television series Mahabharat, has had a change of heart about Nitesh Tiwari's recently released film Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash. The actor, who had earlier showered praise on the film's trailer and even predicted an Oscar win, has now publicly withdrawn his appreciation. In a strongly worded social media post, Nitish said he was deeply disappointed with the film and questioned its interpretation of the epic. He also expressed concerns about the portrayal of Ravan in the movie.

Nitish Bharadwaj Withdraws His Earlier Praise For Ramayana

Taking to Instagram, Nitish shared a statement explaining why he could no longer stand by his earlier appreciation of the film.

"RAMAYAN IS IN THE DNA OF BHARAT. The Ramayan is not just a story. It is deeply rooted in the civilisational and spiritual consciousness of Sanatan Bharat. Its heroes, heroine and antagonist are integral to the values and message of this Mahakavya. Their character and significance cannot be casually redefined," he wrote.

Explaining his objection to the film's portrayal of Ravan, Nitish argued that presenting the antagonist as an exceptionally liberal, socially just and fair figure changes the moral framework of the original epic.

"THE PURPOSE OF RAM AVATAR. Mahavishnu took the Ram Avatar to uphold Dharma, parampara and establish Maryada. By presenting Ravan as an exceptionally liberal, socially just and fair figure, the film, in my view, alters the moral framework of the Ramayan and undermines the very purpose of the avatar," he added.

'I Cannot Find A Single Good Word To Say About It'

Making his disappointment clear, Nitish announced that he was taking back his earlier appreciation of the film.

In his Instagram post, he wrote, "I WITHDRAW MY INITIAL APPRECIATION. I am deeply upset and disappointed with this film. I withdraw my earlier post about it. I cannot find a single good word to say about it."

He also maintained that impressive visual effects alone cannot make up for what he believes is missing from the film.

"A spectacle of VFX can never substitute for the core values, philosophical depth and spiritual essence of this Mahakavya," he added.

Nitish Bharadwaj further questioned whether the film deserved to represent Indian cinema on an international platform, arguing that cultural heritage and spiritual traditions needed to be portrayed responsibly.

When Nitish Bharadwaj Predicted An Oscar For Ramayana

Interestingly, the actor's latest comments are quite different from what he had to say when the film's trailer was released.

At the time, Nitish was extremely impressed with the scale and technical presentation of Ramayana. He even predicted that the film would win an Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category.

He had praised director Nitesh Tiwari, comparing his potential contribution to Indian cinema with that of filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Shekhar Kapur. He also appreciated the production design, cinematography and use of visual effects.

He had a special message for Ranbir as well. While praising him as an actor, Nitish urged him to take responsibility for representing India's culture and heritage through his choice of roles. He even asked the actor to move away from characters like the one he played in Animal.

"I only hope that Bharateeyas will aceept Sai Pallavi as Sita & I can also hear Tulsidas ji's CHAUPAEES amidst Mridangam & Manjira somewhere in the film. That's the sound identity of this Maha-Kavvya in every Bharateeya's soul. Will want to see RAMYAN at least 5 times as my respect to Nitesh's toil of making this magnum opus," he earlier wrote.

About Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic adaptation of the Indian epic. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravan.

The first instalment was released on November 5, 2026, and has been attracting considerable attention for its ambitious scale, cast and visual effects. Meanwhile, the second part is scheduled to release in 2028.