Ramlila body seeks pre-release screening of 'Ramayana' film

Shri Ramlila Mahasangh has written to the makers of actor Ranbir Kapoor-starrer "Ramayana," seeking a special screening of the film for its representatives before its theatrical release, claiming certain scenes could hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

The organization's president, Arjun Kumar, told PTI that a letter had been sent to director Nitesh Tiwari and the film's production company, requesting that a delegation from Shri Ramlila Mahasangh be allowed to watch the film before its release in cinemas during Diwali.

Referring to the 2023 film "Adipurush," Kumar told PTI that several scenes in that film had drawn objections from members of the Sanatan community and people associated with Ramlila performances, including the depiction of Lanka and the portrayal of Ravana and his army.

"We promoted Adipurush without watching the movie before its release, and that movie depicted certain things from Ramayana inaccurately. We don't want to repeat the same mistake since Ramayana belongs to billions of people," Kumar said.

The Mahasangh claimed it had received information suggesting that "Ramayana" contained scenes that could hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus in India and abroad. The organization said it wanted to ensure that any objectionable scenes or dialogues, if found, were removed before the film's public release.

Kumar also warned that if the request was not accepted and the film was released without such a screening, the Mahasangh, along with other Hindu organizations, would stage protests and demonstrations outside cinema halls in Delhi and other states, according to the statement.