Dev Sharma recalls questioning need for another Ramayan: Already a Rs 1,200 crore film is being made with such big stars

Mumbai, Sep 23 (IANS) Actor Dev Sharma, who will be seen playing Lord Ram in the upcoming film Shri Ramayan Katha, has revealed that he was initially far from convinced about taking on the role, but a piece of advice from his late father eventually changed his mind.

He stated that he was not convinced about having another Ramayan considering Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi starrer Ramayan is already made on a higher budget.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Dev recalled receiving a call from director Abhishek Singh on a Sunday while he was having aloo parathas. He was told that a Ramayan was being made and that the makers wanted him for the role of Lord Ram.

“I still remember it was Sunday. I was eating aloo parathas at around 11 or 12 on Sunday. And I get a call from Abhishek Ji. And he said, ‘Sir, we belong from here and we are making a Ramayan.’ I said, ‘Sir, I won’t do Ramayan. You must have offered for Lakshman, right? Or for Ravan?’” Dev said.

Explaining why he initially thought the role would be something like Lakshman or Ravan, Dev said that the characters he had portrayed so far had largely been modern or loud.

“Because I myself, so far, whatever characters I have played so far, I am a very modern guy in that. Or I can do something loud very easily. I feel that’s my forte. I can easily portray all those characters,” he said.

“But he said, ‘No, I have called you for the role of Lord Ram.’ And I was like… I asked him to repeat what he was saying. I said, ‘You are saying Ram?’ He said, ‘No, I am seeing you in Ram.’ And I was like, ‘Sir, I am not completely convinced with this,’” Dev recalled.

Another factor that made him hesitant was the scale of another Ramayan project that was already being made.

“Already a Ramayan of Rs 1,200 crore is being made with such big stars. So why do you want to make this film?” he recalled asking the makers.

It was at this point that his late father, who was sitting beside him, gave him simple advice.

“My dad was sitting next to me. He is no more. I lost him two years ago. But he was sitting right next to me. And he said, ‘Rather than asking so many questions, why don’t you just go and meet them?’” Dev said.

The actor admitted that he had initially planned to spend that Sunday with his father, but eventually decided to follow his advice and meet the team.

“I was like, okay, that’s Sunday. I was thinking I will spend time with him. But I said I will go and meet them and I went to meet them,” he said.

Dev further explained that Shri Ramayan Katha aims to retain the authenticity of the story that audiences have heard, read and seen over the years, while also finding a way to connect with the present generation.

“Then there is a very big part which is a little different from other Ramayanas. At the same time, the authenticity of Ramayana, which we have heard, seen and read from history, is all the same. But today’s generation, for them, there is something to connect,” he said.

Shri Ramayan Katha releases on September 25.

–IANS

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