Sai Pallavi's former co-star, Dhanush, defended her amid criticism over her casting as Sita in 'Ramayana: Part 1'.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleRanbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi's highly anticipated mythological epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend (Part 1) was released worldwide on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Amid the Diwali season, the divinity-themed release was predicted to perform well, which proved to be true. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film delivered a massive opening day, shattering multiple records.
However, online scrutiny around the casting of the Nitesh Tiwari-directorial continued. Although the film opened to largely positive reviews for its plot pace and climax, chatter around Sai Pallavi's casting as Goddess Sita has divided the internet. Amid the buzz, Sai Pallavi's industry acquaintance Dhanush shares his two cents.
Dhanush and Sai Pallavi go way back, having starred together in several movies. At a pre-release event for Ramayana, which Dhanush attended to support Sai and the rest of the cast, he stated that he couldn't understand why there was so much buzz around the casting of Sai as Sita in the mythological drama. He defended his former co-star by sharing how great an actress she was.
Recalling their experience of working in their first film together in Maari 2, Dhanush mentioned Sai was extremely shy off camera and spoke very few words. The duo reconnected after nine years when they worked together in OM, and Sai left Dhanush surprised by how much she had grown in the industry. Speaking about her transformation, Dhanush said she seemed confident and ready to take on any kind of role. In his words:
"She stood there as if she totally mastered the art of cinema. In her poise, in her expressions, there was so much confidence. It was truly astonishing. Playing this role was not easy at all, but she bravely took the chance and did it so well."
Then Dhanush addressed the ongoing scrutiny over Sai Pallavi's portrayal as Sita in Ramayana: Part 1. He claimed the casting directors searched all of India for the role of Sita and "that no one could have done justice to the part other than Sai Pallavi." Speaking about her faith, he said she has a pure and pious heart and is deeply devoted to God. Dhanush's exact words were:
"There is so much noise around her portrayal of Sita. I don't understand it. Even during shot breaks, she would be praying constantly. She is someone with such profound devotion to God, someone with such a pure heart. She looks so beautiful, and she is a great performer."
Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram has been a topic of debate since the two-part epic drama was announced. His casting drew significant criticism from online users, with many claiming he didn't fit the image of Ram they had in mind. Speaking to Newswire during the Ramayana team's promotional visit to San Diego Comic-Con, Ranbir shared his thoughts on the backlash. He admitted he was even doubtful about his selection for the role.
However, later, Ranbir realized his worth and pushed back against criticism of his casting as Ram, saying different people had different pictures of the Lord in their minds and no single person could fit everyone's interpretation. He then explained that someone might consider him the best fit for playing Ram, while another person might think he wasn't meant for it.
However, according to Ranbir Kapoor, the only people worthy of playing the mythological Hindu God would be those who had the heart, faith, and right intentions towards the character. Amid mixed opinions about Ranbir's casting as the protagonist, his co-star Yash, who plays the antagonist Ravana, defended him, saying he's done a "marvellous" job as Ram.
What are your thoughts on Dhanush defending Sai Pallavi amid the criticism over her casting? Let us know.
Photo courtesy: Sahara/Instagram, Jethro/Facebook
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