Kunal Kapoor on playing Lord Indra Dev in Ramayana: 'There’s no question of not wanting to be part of it'

Yash as Ravana. Pics/Youtube, Instagram, AFP, Yogen Shah

Often seen as the quintessential good guy after Rang De Basanti (2006), Kunal Kapoor is keen to explore edgier roles, especially after playing Babur in The Empire (2021). So, when the opportunity to play Indradev in filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari's magnum opus Ramayana: Rise of a Legend came his way, the actor didn't have to think twice.

Kapoor says the opportunity to tell a story that generations of Indians have grown up with, using resources and filmmaking technology associated with Hollywood spectacles, drew him to the role. "We always applaud when Hollywood [pours in] time and resources to bring a mythology onscreen. We all have thought [at least once] why don't we do it at that scale? So it's great when you have somebody like Namit [Malhotra, producer] and Nitesh stepping up and taking that responsibility. There's absolutely no question of not wanting to be part of something like that," he says.

Kunal Kapoor as Indradev

For Kapoor, the challenge lay in imagining a world largely created through visual effects. "For us, the challenge and fun part was to create the whole world in our head. Most of this film has been shot on blue screen. There's no palace or sky. It takes you back to your childhood where it's all about your imagination."

Nitesh Tiwari

The new trailer introduces several characters from the epic, but the most talked-about sequence is the confrontation on the battlefield between Indradev - who arrives on Airavata, a legendary, multi-tusked white elephant - and Ravana, played by Yash. Kapoor credits actor and stunt coordinator Terry Notary for "making things easier".

Terry Notary

"We were lucky to have Terry on board. He has worked on some of the biggest action films, be it Planet of the Apes or Avatar. He has been [the lead performer] in Cirque du Soleil, and specialises in body language and [acrobatics]. Having him made everybody's life much easier," shares Kapoor.

Kunal Kapoor

On being typecast

"For the longest time, the only parts that I was offered were the good guy or the poet because Aslam from Rang De Basanti was that guy. It becomes boring when people start offering the same parts again. So I did step back"

Did you know?

Kunal Kapoor holds a private pilot's license and frequently trains in light aircraft flying.