Did you know Hrithik Roshan was first choice for Raavan in Ramayana?

The first look of Ramayana Part 1 was launched across Indian cities on Thursday amid fanfare. The 3-minute clip gives a glimpse at the scale of the magnum opus, which is being directed by Nitesh Tiwari. In Ramayana, Ranbir Kapoor will play Rama while KGF actor Yash will take on the role of Raavan. But did you know that Yash was not the first choice for the role and that the makers wanted to cast Hrithik Roshan as the antagonist?

Why did Hrithik Roshan back out of Ramayana?

The idea of Hrithik playing the mythical antagonist and being pitted against Ranbir Kapoor had excited most fans. The makers were keen to cast Hrithik to play the iconic character on screen. But as it turned out, the casting had to change.

According to reports, Hrithik had even loved the script and was keen on the scale of the project. However, the actor backed down from the project as he was not keen to play the villain again. Hrithik famously played the antagonist in Dhoom 2, which remains a cult movie to this date. His character in Vikram Vedha, too, had shades of grey.

After playing intense roles in the recent past, Hrithik wasn’t keen to repeat the same kind of character on screen again. Hrithik reportedly felt that his fans still strongly connect with him as a hero.

After multiple discussions with Nitesh Tiwari and the production team, Hrithik chose to step away from Ramayana. The makers then approached KGF star Yash, who liked the scale of the film and said yes. The rest, as they say, is history.

About Ramayana Part 1

The casting of the film has impressed everyone. While Ranbir Kapoor plays Ram and Yash Raavan, Sai Pallavi will be playing Sita. Popular TV actor and producer Ravie Dubey has been cast as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol will play Lord Hanuman in the film. The cast also includes Lara Dutta in a key role.

While the first look of the Ramayana was unveiled nationwide on July 3, 2025, the film will only release in Diwali 2026.