Nikita Rawal Calls Ranbir Kapoor 'Disgusting' Over Old Beef Remark, Says He's Unfit To Play Lord Ram
Actress Nikita Rawal criticised Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana casting over his old beef remark, demanded a public apology and urged fans to boycott the film.
By ETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Published : August 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM IST
Hyderabad: Actress Nikita Rawal has strongly criticised Ranbir Kapoor’s casting as Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Ramayana. Referring to the actor’s old statement about eating beef, she questioned whether he is the right person to play one of Hinduism’s most respected deities and even called for a boycott of the film until he apologises.
Speaking on a podcast, Nikita said portraying Lord Ram is much more than just playing a character on screen. According to her, the role carries the faith and emotions of millions of people and should be handled with great responsibility.
Questioning Ranbir Kapoor’s casting, she said, "This character is not for Ranbir Kapoor at all. Such a disgusting and characterless person, who eats beef and has said this publicly. What do you think that such a person will be able to understand the character of Rama?"
The actress also criticised the makers of Ramayana for choosing Ranbir for the role. She said, "Giving this character to such a person, who is openly saying that he is eating beef, this is an insult to the faith, feelings and character of Rama." She further questioned why religious groups had not raised their voices over the issue.
Nikita went on to say, "No matter what anyone says, I will say, and I will keep saying, that this disgusting person who eats beef can neither understand the character of Rama, nor can he portray him properly."
The actress also demanded a public apology from Ranbir Kapoor. She said, "He will have to apologise, because this is not just a question of his personal life; this is a question of the faith of crores of people." According to her, actors playing such respected figures should be careful about people’s religious sentiments.
She further urged people to boycott the film until the actor apologises. "I feel that boycott this, I will keep running the hashtag boycott," she said. Nikita added that if Ranbir believes he made a mistake, he should apologise to those whose sentiments were hurt. She said people are willing to forgive, but only if he accepts his mistake.
The controversy is linked to an old interview in which Ranbir Kapoor described himself as "a big beef guy" while talking about his food preferences. The clip has resurfaced several times over the years and often becomes a topic of discussion on social media. Ranbir has not issued any statement regarding the remark.
While some users agreed with Nikita and said actors portraying religious figures should be mindful of public sentiments, others argued that an actor’s personal food choices or old comments should not decide whether they can play a particular role. Many also defended Ranbir, saying an actor should be judged by his performance and not by his personal life.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. The first part is scheduled to release during Diwali 2026, while the second part is planned for Diwali 2027.
