Kacha Badam fame Anjali Arora plays Sita in new Ramayan film, netizens criticise VFX

After the upcoming film on the epic Ramayana featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, another adaptation has stirred some controversy due to its casting choices. Anjali Arora, recognized for her viral video "Kacha Badam," will portray the character of Sita in "Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha," set for release on September 25. The trailer, released on August 18, sparked backlash from netizens who began trolling the actor and the trailer.

Anjali plays the lead alongside Dev Sharma, who takes on the role of Lord Ram. The 90-second trailer provides a glimpse into the wedding of Ram and Sita, their subsequent exile, and the focus on their passionate love story. It then transitions to Sita's abduction and concludes with Lord Ram holding his arrow, as preparations for the construction of the Ram Setu begin.

Directed by Abhishek Singh and produced by Prakash Mahobiya, Sanjay Bundela, and Monika Sen, the film has garnered over a lakh views on the trailer, leading many users to ridicule the film and its creators for the subpar visual effects and casting decisions. Netizens have expressed their disapproval, with some jokingly commenting, "Himmat toh dekho makers ki" (Look at the makers' guts) and "Sorry Namit Malhotra, this is the Ramayana Indians deserve."

Another user pointed out that fans may compare this version of Ramayana with Ranbir Kapoor's version, claiming it boasts superior visual effects. They also humorously remarked, "Avengers Doomsday is in danger."

Anjali Arora previously mentioned in 2024 that she was prepared for her performance to be compared with Sai Pallavi's rendition of Sita in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. Despite this, she expressed contentment at being compared to a renowned Bollywood actress, stating, "If I am compared to a Bollywood actress, I will be happy." Anjali gained popularity after her dance to the song "Kacha Badam" went viral, eventually securing her a spot in Lock Upp Season 1, hosted by Kangana Ranaut.

Now, four years later, she is set to make her film debut in this mythological drama. Meanwhile, Ranbir Kapoor's film, produced on a budget of Rs 4,000 crore, is scheduled for a theatrical release on Diwali. The creators recently unveiled the trailer, which has elicited mixed reactions. The last significant big-screen adaptation of the Ramayana was Prabhas-starrer Adipurush, which underperformed at the box office due to substantial trolling over its VFX and dialogues. The film starred Kriti Sanon and Saif Ali Khan.