Actor and parliamentarian Ravi Kishan will step into one of Indian stage’s most revered roles this October, and he is not hiding how much it weighs on him. In New Delhi on October 19 and 20, he will play Shri Ram in Ayodhya Ki Ramleela, a production set for a worldwide live telecast on Doordarshan, OTT and YouTube. The actor says the part is the one he has always wanted, but it comes with a fear he believes an actor must carry to the stage.
‘Dara hua hoon’
Kishan told Hindustan Times that he feels the kind of fear that does not show up on a film set. “Andar se dara hua hoon,” he said, adding that fear is important for a performer because it keeps the work honest. The difference, he explained, is that a live audience and global telecast leave no room to improvise or go off script. A mistake cannot be corrected with a retake.
Kishan has played divine and mythological parts before. As a child he took on Mata Sita, and his credits include Parashuram, Kevat and a TV role as Shri Krishna. Still, he told HT City, the role of Shri Ram is different. “Pehla baar Shri Ram ke roop dharan karne ka saubhagya mila,” he said, describing the chance as a blessing and hoping for the energy to perform with grace.
Why this Ramleela feels bigger
The scale is not small. The production will be broadcast live, and Kishan says over 50 crore people could watch across Doordarshan, OTT platforms and YouTube. For a stage actor, that audience changes the calculation. There is no cut, no dubbing, no retake. The only tool is preparation, and the actor is treating it like a discipline.
- Fasting: He is observing Navratri and says he wants a “shudh body and pure soul” before the role.
- Diet: A vegetarian and a special lean diet to look the part.
- Appearance: He will shave his moustache before the Ramleela.
- Mindset: Staying calm and composed to stay within the bound script and character.
What it actually means for fans
For celebrity-watchers, this is a chance to see an actor who built a career in loud, comic and gritty roles step into a role defined by restraint: soumyata, shaleenta, saiyam and ekagrita, as he puts it. He told HT City that the role is not only about the act but about portraying the character of purushon mein uttam Shri Ram. Kishan connects this focus to the success of his recent projects, including Mirzapur The Movie, Maamla Legal Hai and Laapataa Ladies. He says giving 100% is what has worked, and he is not changing that formula.
Kishan also brings a personal layer to the role. The son of a priest, he grew up hearing tales of Shri Ram and Mahadev. Now he is playing the deity he listened to stories about as a child. That is why the fear is not stage fright alone; it is the fear of getting Shri Ram wrong.
The live format leaves no safety net, and that is exactly what Kishan is treating as the point. By shaving his moustache, fasting through Navratri and staying composed, he is preparing more than a performance; he is preparing a character that needs no improvisation. For fans who want to catch the moment, the dates are set: October 19 and 20 in New Delhi, with a worldwide telecast to follow.
Source: Hindustan Times
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