Bollywood Hungama

Kunal Kapoor calls working on Ramayana almost meditative: I've never been on a set like that

Kunal Kapoor is set to play Lord Indra Dev in Ramayana, one of the major releases lined up this year. The actor has now spoken about his experience of working on the film and what he believes sets the retelling apart. According to Kunal, while the story remains familiar to audiences, the film aims to offer a different cinematic experience through its treatment, visuals, action and music. With the Ramayana, everyone already knows the story. You can't change it, and you shouldn't. We've grown up with it, we've seen countless retellings, it's part of who we are. What's exciting about this film is that the story stays the same but the experience is entirely new. The way it's shot, the action, the music. You'll walk in knowing exactly what happens and still walk out having felt something you haven't felt before, he said. Reflecting on his time on the sets, Kunal described the atmosphere as unlike any other project he had worked on. He said the scale of the film was accompanied by a sense of focus among the cast and crew, particularly given the cultural significance of the story. He added, I've never been on a set like that. It was quiet. Almost meditative. You could feel that everyone knew they were part of something that mattered. To do that with a story that's such an important part of our cultural heritage, alongside people who love what they're saying, is something I'll carry with me. Kunal also addressed the criticism and discussions that have emerged online around the film's visuals, costumes and creative choices. He acknowledged that some feedback comes from audiences and people familiar with filmmaking, while noting that not every online opinion needs to be followed. I don't spend much time with it. Everyone has social media now. Some of that comes from people who understand the craft, or from an audience that loves this story and wants the best version of it, and that opinion is worth hearing. But plenty of it exists to go viral, to be the interesting thing someone said that day. You can't chase all of it. He added that the focus ultimately remains on the work being done by the team. You focus on the work. Nitesh sir and Namit have put so much into this that no stone will be left unturned, he concluded. Ramayana features Kunal Kapoor alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta and a larger ensemble cast. The film is slated to release on November 6 this year. Also Read : Kunal Kapoor looks back at Rang De Basanti on 80th Independence Day: The idea of responsibility has aged well