Ramayana: Who plays Rama’s brothers Bharat, Shatrughan and Sita’s sister Urmila? Full cast lineup
Every big mythological retelling lives or dies by its Ram, Sita and Ravana. But the Ayodhya of Ramayana i s a crowded palace, and this Ganesh Chaturthi, the makers finally pulled back the curtain on the family members who surround the epic's central trio, brothers, wives, and in-laws whose stories rarely get their own spotlight. The occasion was the release of the film's first song, Jai Jai Ram ,…
The Ramayana film has unveiled the full cast for its epic retelling, including the lesser-known characters who support the central trio. The song "Jai Jai Ram," composed by AR Rahman and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal, gave audiences their first glimpse of Bharat, Shatrughan, Urmila, Shrutakirti, and Mandavi.
Bharat, whose story is central to the plot, is played by Marathi actor Adinath Kothare. Kothare's journey to the role was bittersweet; he had previously been considered for another project but was ultimately passed over. After a particularly hard day, he turned to the Ram Charitmanas at his family's Hanuman shrine, which led to a sudden call from casting director Mukesh Chhabra. Three months later, Kothare was cast as Bharat.
Shatrughan, the youngest brother, is played by Nitish Sharma, an actor with a background in athletics and performance. Sharma's path to the role was fraught with setbacks; he had secured a big role elsewhere but was abruptly dropped, leading to a period of mourning. Encouraged by his mother, he began reading the Ram Charitmanas, leading to a casting call and eventually the Shatrughan role.
Sita's sister, Shrutakirti, is portrayed by Assamese actress Surbhi Das. Das had been disenchanted with television work and was seeking opportunities in digital and film. When she auditioned, she was unaware of the magnitude of the production, and it only became clear as she immersed herself in the project.
Urmila, Sita's cousin and Lakshman's wife, is played by Sonia Balani. Balani, known for her roles in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain and The Kerala Story, initially had her sights set on the part of Surpanakha, but when that opportunity fell through, she auditioned for Urmila instead.
Mandavi, Sita's cousin and Bharat's wife, is portrayed by Riya Kapoor. Kapoor has previously appeared in small roles in the Telugu film MissTerious and the web series Sampoorna. Urmila and Mandavi are depicted as sisters in the epic, daughters of King Kushadhwaja and Queen Chandrabhaga.
The film also features additional key relationships, with Indira Krishan as Kaushalya, Sumita's mother, and Lara Dutta playing the role of Kaikeyi. Ranbir Kapoor takes on a dual role as Parashuram alongside his lead role as Rama, while Arun Govil plays King Dashrath, and Ravi Dubey portrays Lakshman. Sheeba Chaddha appears as the cunning Manthara, and Vivek Oberoi completes the villain roster as Vidyuthjeeva, husband of Surpanakha.
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