Gulshan Devaiah has a clear position on Indian films aiming for a worldwide audience: root for the attempt, even when the film isn’t to your taste. The actor made the case in an interview with Hindustan Times while discussing Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming Ramayana, the two-part adaptation led by Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash.
Ramayana is built for a wider screen
The first instalment is scheduled for a Diwali 2026 release. Devaiah said the project is deliberately aimed at a larger audience than a standard Hindi release: the Indian diaspora and viewers who did not grow up with the epic.
The ambition is to go global.
He compared the logic to Hollywood, where English-language films have the biggest home market. If an Indian film wants the whole world to watch, he argued, that is a great ambition rather than a problem.
RRR as proof, not a personal favourite
Devaiah was careful to separate his own taste from the industry impact. He admitted he ‘did not really vibe’ with SS Rajamouli’s RRR, but still celebrated its US success because it showed Indian films could find a foothold abroad and open the door for others.
His framing is useful for anyone following the Ramayana rollout:
- Ramayana is positioned for diaspora and non-Indian viewers, not only the existing fan base.
- RRR proved the US market can accept an Indian spectacle, whether or not every viewer loves the style.
- The next test is whether Ramayana can translate an Indian epic globally while staying rooted in its culture.
The weight of a familiar character
Devaiah also addressed why Lord Ram is a particularly tricky part. He called the figure maryada purushottam, the supreme upholder of righteousness, and noted that a generation of viewers carries fond memories of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan and Arun Govil’s Lord Ram. Any new portrayal, he said, will be measured against that nostalgia before it is judged on its own terms.
For Devaiah, the conversation is not purely academic. He is currently drawing praise for playing King Kulashekara in Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1, so he has just worked inside a mythological frame. He said the genre itself is not the hard part; the harder part is meeting expectations when a character is already revered.
What this means for the release
Devaiah’s point is that Ramayana’s global push deserves encouragement even from viewers who might not connect with the film. The practical takeaway is to judge the project for what it is attempting: a culturally rooted story with international ambition.
Devaiah, who will next be seen in Little Thomas on October 23, knows the genre well enough to talk about expectation. His advice sets up a clear way to watch Ramayana’s rollout: cheer the swing, then debate the execution.
Source: Hindustan Times
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