Mumbai, Oct 2 (IANS): Actor Dev Sharma, who essays the role of Lord Ram in Shri Ramayan Katha, opened up about his faith and how he chooses to express it publicly.
The actor said he is a proud Sanatani and has no shame in openly expressing his devotion to Lord Ram.
Drawing a comparison with Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Don, Dev spoke about how people can choose different ways of expressing their identity and beliefs.
“If you have seen Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, when the first Don came, the song was loud and high-pitched. In a way, they had to shout and tell people, ‘Main Hoon Don.’ When Shah Rukh sir’s Don came, the song was very smooth and in a toned-down manner as ‘Main Hoon Don’, without any high pitch and calmly,” he said.
“So, instead of shouting and saying that I am Sanatani, calmly accepting that I believe in my God, that I am not ashamed of it, and that I am very proud of it is always better. It makes no difference.”
He added, “But I think this is our individual take. If someone wants to shout and say it, there is no problem. If someone wants to keep it inside himself and softly make a point about his belief and faith, there is no problem.”
He further explained, “For me, that person is as good as going to the temple three times and chanting the mala 108 times. I like that too. And I also like the one who prays five times a day, because at least he is doing his worship.”
Dev went on to make his own position clear, saying, “Basically, this is an individual take on how to present it. There is no harm in saying that I am a Sanatani, and I am not ashamed of chanting Jai Shri Ram out loud in public.”
For the uninitiated, Dev Sharma plays Lord Ram in Shri Ramayan Katha, a screen adaptation based on the epic. The actor has spoken about the responsibility of portraying one of the most revered figures in Indian culture, while the film has also generated discussion online around its presentation and visual effects.
The film features Anjali Arora as Mata Sita, alongside Dev Sharma as Lord Ram. The cast also includes Rajniesh Duggal as Ravana, with Sheel Verma and Nirbhay Wadhwa among the other actors associated with the project.
The film, which released on September 25, faced criticism on social media over its visual effects and aspects of its presentation, with some viewers questioning the quality of the VFX and the research behind the adaptation.
