Move over Ram and Ravan, Kunal Kapoor's Lord Indra in Ramayana is stealing hearts in Thailand

It’s been a week since Ramayana: Part 1 hit theatres, and the film has already created quite an impact on audiences worldwide. Not just in India, the film has found audiences beyond it. While the West has been impressed by its scale and visuals, Southeast Asian countries have lauded the makers for adapting the mythological epic and its character detailing. Among the actors, Kunal Kapoor seems to have found a new fan following in Thailand. The actor appears in a cameo and plays Lord Indra in the film. Kapoor’s role is nearly three scenes long, but that has been enough to make him a new favourite among Thai fans.

Thai Fans have flooded the actor’s social media, praising his performance and even inviting him to visit their country.

Kunal Kapoor in Ramayana

Kunal appears as Devraj Indra, the king of devas in Ramayana. He appears in two pivotal battle sequences, first defeating the asura king Sumali, and later getting defeated by Ravana after he attains the boon from Lord Brahma. The actor then appears in a long sequence where he urges Lord Vishnu to take an avatar to fight Ravana. Kapoor’s performance has been well received, with fans calling his casting perfect.

Kunal Kapoor’s newfound fame in Thailand

While Desi fans have praised Kunal’s performance, the actor has gained new fans from Thailand, where he has become a sensation of sorts since the film’s release. X and Instagram are flooded with posts from Thai viewers sharing his screengrabs and stills from the show. The actor has been widely praised by fans for his performance and his good looks.

One Thai fan wrote, "His form is like Indra’s, a heavenly being descended to earth, as radiant as the moon, above the land of heaven, above all other young men."

"I never understood why Phra Lo got so much hype. Was Indra really that handsome and cool? Then I watched the Ramayana and holy shit, Indra is so handsome. Where did they find him? Or did they cast him straight from Tavatimsa? And they must’ve made a deal for Airavata too, because that’s how the budget got so high. I can’t, Indra really is so handsome," wrote one fan.

The love and appreciation did not go unnoticed by the actor. Kunal responded to some of the messages, revealing that his sister lives in Thailand and that the country feels like a second home to him.

About Ramayana: Part 1

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra and co-produced by Yash, the film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Yash plays Ravan in the film. Ramayana also features Vivek Oberoi, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Kajal Aggarwal, Arun Govil and Kunal Kapoor in key roles.