Mahavatar Narsimha Director On Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: ‘We Project God Onto Actors'

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14 hours ago

Ashwin Kumar on Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: 'In India, we project God onto the actor.' Director explains why animation avoids this casting burden.
Ashwin Kumar, the director of the animated mythological feature Mahavatar Narsimha, is not only celebrating the film's strong box office opening — ₹7.5 crore over its debut weekend — but also reflecting on the deeper intent behind building India's first seven-part animated mythological universe. Titled the Mahavatar Universe, the ambitious project by Hombale Films will chronicle the stories of all ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, starting with the fierce and divine incarnation of Narsimha.
In an interview with Indian Express, Kumar spoke about why India is witnessing a resurgence of mythological storytelling and how the format of animation allowed him to sidestep the celebrity-driven discourse dominating the live-action adaptation space — a subtle nod to the casting chatter around Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Yash as Ravana.
'Because it's never enough," Kumar said when asked why now is the right time to revisit Hindu mythology on screen. 'There have been so many outtakes and renditions of the same stories. But when you do it based on the shastras authentically, keeping the spirit and the divinity alive, then the idea is to resonate not just at the individual level, but at the soul level. So that the message, impression, and philosophy go deep into the culture and stay there for a long time."
The director pointed out that ancient India had various ways to transmit mythology — sculptures in temples, toli performances in town squares, and the guru-shishya tradition that preserved knowledge across generations. Now, Kumar sees cinema, particularly animation, as the modern medium to continue that legacy. 'The times, the media, and the expression have changed, yet the spirit remains the same. And that's what we seek to do."
Kumar also addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the casting of Tiwari's Ramayana and whether certain actors, especially someone like Ranbir Kapoor, can convincingly portray divine figures like Lord Ram. His response was clear — animation offered a unique advantage.
'Yes, that's true. For us, Narsimha Swami is our hero. There's a pro and con to everything," he said. 'From where I see it, in India, we have a habit of projecting the God onto the actor and the actor onto the God. That's something which is difficult to escape. Since we went with animation, we were able to move away from that. That's an advantage we have."
By creating animated versions of mythological epics, Kumar and his team have sidestepped the intense scrutiny that live-action actors often face when stepping into divine roles — scrutiny that is often tied to personal image, stardom, and audience perception rather than scriptural authenticity.
With Mahavatar Narsimha serving as the foundation, the Mahavatar Universe promises to be an expansive spiritual saga — with the next avatars expected to include Vamana, Parashurama, and eventually Krishna and Kalki. As Ramayana and Aamir Khan's Mahabharata begin to take shape in the live-action sphere, Kumar's animated venture offers a compelling counterpoint — one rooted in devotion, storytelling, and cultural preservation, without the noise of stardom.
First Published:
July 28, 2025, 18:15 IST
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