Rakul Preet Singh calls Surpanakha misunderstood in Ramayana

Rakul Preet Singh is finally talking about the glimpse that stole the Ramayana trailer. In a conversation with news agency PTI, the actor explained why she said yes to Surpanakha and what she wants audiences to leave with.

Her appearance was brief, but the casting instantly became one of the trailer’s most debated moments. Now Rakul is adding context about what drew her to the part.

Why Surpanakha felt different to her

Rakul said the role excited her for two reasons. She called the film “India’s representation to the world” and said it was a way of taking “our history, our truth” to a global audience. She then turned to the character itself.

Rakul described Surpanakha as “a very misunderstood and layered character” and pointed out that she was “the reason why the war takes place in the first place.” For the actor, the draw was the chance to play “someone with multiple shades” instead of a figure remembered for a single moment.

The actor had earlier reposted a fan letter on X and added her own note. She thanked the fan for naming what made her say yes: “her complexity.” Rakul wrote that history often remembers Surpanakha for one moment, but “there is so much more to her story,” and that she hopes audiences discover the character with an open mind.

The mythological weight behind the role

Surpanakha is not a side detail in the Ramayana. In the mythology, the insult to Surpanakha becomes Ravana’s reason to disguise himself as a sage and abduct Sita. That act sets up the war between Rama and Ravana. The character is therefore narratively central, even though popular memory often reduces her to a brief episode.

Rakul’s comment reframes Surpanakha as a pivot point rather than a villainous cameo, which may be exactly why the trailer’s quick look at her drew so much attention.

What we know about the film

Directed as a two-part adaptation of Valmiki’s epic, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. It is reportedly mounted on a budget of ₹4,000 crore and backed by Yash and Namit Malhotra.

• First part: in cinemas November 5, 2026
• Second part: expected around Diwali 2027
• Scale: reported ₹4,000 crore budget
• Why it matters: one of India’s most familiar sacred stories, reimagined for a global audience

The teaser trailer had already set off debates about the looks of the leads and the scale of the adaptation, but Rakul’s Surpanakha became one of the surprises people discussed most.

For Bollywood fans, the interview is a small but useful signal: the makers are inviting audiences to see familiar characters with fresh, more layered eyes, and Rakul is clearly framing her role as a cultural statement, not just a costume moment.

Source: Hindustan Times

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#Bollywood#Indian Cinema#mythology#Rakul Preet Singh#Ramayana#Ranbir Kapoor#Sai Pallavi#Surpanakha