Ramayana: Sai Pallavi's Casting As Sita Becomes The Biggest Blunder In ₹4000 Crore Movie? Makers Take A HUGE Step

The teaser of Ramayana was released recently and introduced Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama in the upcoming two-part mythological epic saga, brought to the big screens by director Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame and producers Namit Malhotra and Yash. One of the most hyped projects in Indian cinema, with the release of its first footage, Ramayana has become a topic of criticism. Fans are wary of the use of VFX in the movie and the portrayal of the divine characters by the cast of Ranbir, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. After the debacle of Om Raut's Adipurush, another adaptation of Ramayana epic, hopes are pinned on the upcoming movies from Nitesh, part 1 of which will release on Diwali this year.

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When the casting of Ramayana was being discussed initially, many were surprised to learn that Telugu and Tamil actress Sai has been roped in to essay Sita. Netizens said that with a major Bollywood cast at the helm, the Ramayana team would have been better off casting someone from the Hindi film industry in this sought-after role. Moreover, not many viewers in the Hindi belts are familiar with the actress' work in the movies down South.

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Before Ramayana, Sai's Ek Din with Junaid Khan released on May 1. Backed by Aamir Khan Productions, it is the remake of the 2016 Thai movie One Day. Ek Din has failed miserably at the box office. Despite being made on a rather small budget, reported to be ₹25 crore, recovery is not in sight for the makers. In one of the interviews for Ek Din, Sai said that she was not very fluent in Hindi. This immediately blew up, with fans now suspecting if she is the right pick for the role of Sita. Moreover, her Hindi diction in Ek Din has been highly criticised by viewers. 

Reports have started doing the rounds now that the Ramayana team may dub her voice so that her Tamil-accented Hindi does not generate further negativity for the project. If these claims are true, not only is her casting in the first place a blunder, but a lost opportunity for Sai and any other Hindi actress who could have possibly been a better pick for the role. The budget of the two-part Ramayana, as revealed by Namit, is ₹4000 crore. This has increased further scrutiny around this project and its future.