Sunny Deol calls playing Hanuman in Ramayana an ‘honour', says 'Let's celebrate this moment and together'

Mint

3 days ago

Bollywood star Sunny Deol has spoken about taking on the iconic role of Lord Hanuman in Nitesh Tiwari's much-awaited epic, Ramayana. Sharing his excitement on social media, the Gadar actor called it a privilege to be part of a timeless story that has influenced generations.
Posting the first teaser of the film on Instagram, Deol wrote, 'Honoured to be part of a story that has shaped generations. Welcome to the world of Namit Malhotra's Ramayana, the immortal story of Rama vs Ravana. Grateful to walk this path, and to share it with all of you.'
He further invited audiences to join him on this journey, adding, 'Let's celebrate this moment and together, step into the @worldoframayana. Our Truth. Our History. #Ramayana #RamayanaByNamitMalhotra.'
On Thursday, the makers also unveiled the first look of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The announcement video opens with powerful visuals of the divine trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva - before introducing the key characters of the epic through breathtaking animation.
Sharing the video, the creators wrote, 'Ten years of Aspiration. Relentless Conviction to bring the Greatest Epic of all time to the World. An outcome through a collaboration of some of the world's best to ensure that Ramayana is presented with the greatest amount of Reverence and Respect. Welcome to the Beginning. Let's Celebrate the IMMORTAL story of Rama v/s Ravana. Our Truth. Our History.'
Last week, speaking about his role, Deol revealed he is soon to begin filming. He said, 'Definitely, I'm playing the role and it will be exciting and fun. I'm going to be shooting very shortly. I think it's going to be great and beautiful. As a matter of fact, after this, I'm going to go and watch a little bit of what they've done.'
He admitted feeling nervous about stepping into such an important character. 'Nervousness and fear are always there, but that's the beauty of it because you have to find within you how will you take up the challenge,' he said.
Deol also spoke about the film's scale and visual effects, saying, 'I am sure the producers are doing a great job as they are going to bring out the supernatural things properly on the screen. I keep my fingers crossed and hope that they are nothing less than what Hollywood has. Ramayan has been made so many times, and when this film comes on the screen and the way all the actors are involved in it, I'm sure they'll do justice to the epic, and people will be satisfied and they will enjoy the film.'
Sharing his thoughts on working alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Deol said, 'I think it's going to be great because he's such a fine actor. He always commits fully to any project he takes up.'
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios, in partnership with DNEG, the Oscar-winning VFX studio, and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.
The film is expected to be made on a massive scale, with reports suggesting a budget of ₹ 835 crore for the first part alone, making it one of the most expensive films in Indian cinema history.
The cast features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Yash as Ravana. Director Nitesh Tiwari spoke about the responsibility of bringing such a story to life, saying, 'Ramayana is a story we've all grown up with. It carries the soul of our culture. Our aim was to honour that soul — and present it with the cinematic scale it truly deserves. As a filmmaker, it's both a huge responsibility and a heartfelt honour to bring it to life. It's a tale that has endured across millennia because it speaks to something deep and eternal within us. We are not simply making a film. We are offering a vision — one rooted in reverence, shaped by excellence, and made to transcend borders.'