Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has strongly criticised Sai Pallavi’s portrayal of Goddess Sita in the upcoming film Ramayana, questioning the creative decisions made by the filmmakers. Khanna, who is widely recognised for playing Shaktimaan and Bhishma Pitamah in B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, shared his objections in a lengthy video on social media.

In his vlog, Khanna expressed disagreement with reports and promotional visuals suggesting that Sita is depicted as a warrior who participates in combat. Referring to Valmiki’s Ramayana, he argued that Goddess Sita was never shown engaging in battles or physically fighting enemies.

Khanna specifically referred to the 14-year exile of Lord Rama, saying Sita did not participate in any battlefield confrontation during that period. He also mentioned the episode involving the demons Khara and Dushana, stating that Lord Rama defeated them without Sita or Lakshmana taking part in the battle.

The actor further questioned the portrayal of Sita as a warrior by referring to the incident involving Ravana's abduction of her. According to Khanna, such a characterisation does not align with the events described in Valmiki's Ramayana, where Ravana abducts Sita and takes her to Ashoka Vatika.

Khanna also reacted to producer Namit Malhotra's explanation that the controversial sequence was inspired by the Adbhuta Ramayana. The veteran actor said he was shocked by this justification and maintained that Valmiki's version should remain the primary reference when portraying the epic on screen. He openly criticised the filmmakers and expressed his disappointment with their creative approach.

Another concern raised by Khanna was the screen presence of Ravana compared with Lord Rama. He questioned why the antagonist appeared to receive greater prominence and suggested that commercial considerations, including the film's reportedly massive Rs. 4,000 crore budget, could be influencing the production.

Drawing a comparison with the controversy surrounding Adipurush, Khanna warned the filmmakers about the negative reactions that can follow when audiences feel religious and mythological stories have not been represented appropriately.

Interestingly, Khanna clarified that he has not watched the film. His criticism is based on promotional material and audience discussions rather than a personal viewing. He also expressed reluctance to spend Rs. 1,200 on a movie ticket, arguing that filmmakers should prioritise the story rather than profits.

The actor additionally criticised Anupam Kher's positive response to the film, describing his review as disappointing. Khanna compared alterations to religious epics with making changes to sacred texts such as the Quran and Bible, arguing that creative freedom should not come at the expense of the original stories.

As of now, the makers of Ramayana have not publicly responded to Mukesh Khanna's criticism.