Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Rakul As Surpanakha in Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana; see other casting details

The casting for Nitesh Tiwari's big-budget saga Ramayana is in full swing. As we have reported, Ranbir Kapoor will play Lord Ram, while South Indian actress Sai Pallavi will be paired opposite him as Sita. Initially, there were reports that Telugu actor Naveen Polishetty would play Rama's brother Lakshman.

However, the latest buzz is that the team has locked in Ravi Dubey for the role. Ravi is a popular Indian television show, like Jamai Raja and Saas Bina Sasural. Beyond television, he has also showcased his talent in over 40 commercials, various films and reality shows like Khatron Ke Khiladi.

Meanwhile, Ranbir has started undergoing diction and dialogue classes for the film. In Ramayana, the Dangal director wants to make sure Ranbir sounds different from the characters he's played in the past—a different baritone and dialogue delivery. Being a versatile actor, Ranbir is enjoying this process of trying something new. The actor is already staying away from alcohol, meat and parties to fully immerse himself in the character.

Ramayana is made into a trilogy, with Ramayana Part One introducing the characters of Ram and Sita. It is reported that Hanuman and Raavan will only have a short appearance in the first part. The realm of Ramayana has been crafted by the Oscar-winning VFX company, DNEG, which is also overseeing the production of this epic. The creators aim to introduce innovative filmmaking technology with Ramayana, and the entire test run of the shoot has been conducted on multiple occasions.

In addition to Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, Yash is rumoured to have been cast as Ravana, with reports suggesting an extended role in the film. While Vijay Sethupathi, known for his role in Merry Christmas, has been approached to portray Vibhishan, Harman Baweja is rumoured to have bagged the role. Sunny Deol has been approached with a substantial offer of Rs 45 crore to play Lord Hanuman. Given his massive fan following and recent success with Gadar 2, his presence is anticipated to draw audiences to the theatres.

Rakul Preet Singh has reportedly agreed to play Surpanakha, while Lara Dutt is expected to portray Kaikeyi, Ram's stepmother, the third consort of King Dasharatha, and a crucial character in the narrative. Bobby Deol has declined the role of Kumbhkaran, Raavan's brother, as offered by the team behind the project Animal. There are rumours about Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, and Vikranth Massey playing different roles in the film, but nothing has been confirmed as of now.

The big-budget venture is jointly bankrolled by Madhu Mantena, Namit Malhotra, and Allu Aravind. However, there are rumours that Madhu Mantena has decided to opt out of the project due to reasons unknown. The film is expected to go on floors on Ram Navami, which is on April 17.