The ambitious film Ramayana: The Rise of a Legend features Ranbir Kapoor portraying Lord Rama while Yash steps into the role of Ravana. Ever since the movie arrived in cinemas, the performances of both leading stars have generated massive discussions, with Yash's fierce portrayal of Ravana particularly capturing audience attention. However, upon hearing Yash's powerful and commanding voice on screen, few casual viewers might realize that his dialogues for the Hindi version were actually voiced by an entirely different artist. This monumental responsibility was shouldered by actor Sharad Kelkar. Now, he has opened up in an interview about how executing the dubbing for Yash was far from an easy task, detailing the specific challenges he faced and the scenes closest to his heart.
Connecting with Nitesh Tiwari and Meeting at Ravi Dubey's Home
Sharad Kelkar spoke candidly about Ramayana during an exclusive conversation. He revealed that director Nitesh Tiwari and his core team personally approached him to lend his voice to Yash's character Ravana for the Hindi adaptation. Sharad had always wanted to collaborate with Nitesh Tiwari, and that aspiration finally materialized. He recalled that his initial meeting with the director took place last year at actor Ravi Dubey's residence, at a time when Nitesh was completely engrossed in the early preparations for the film.
Exploring Ravana's Backstory and Negative Persona
Director Nitesh Tiwari structured the narrative of this cinematic adaptation around the evolution of Ravana as a formidable negative force. Sharad noted that audiences have traditionally witnessed the childhood and life journey of Lord Rama on screen. However, Ravana's past—his origins and the series of pivotal events that shaped him—had never been explored in such extensive detail before. In comparison to the sequences set in Ayodhya, the early life and journey of Ravana have been given significantly more canvas and depth in the movie.
Addressing Yash's Kannada Accent for Hindi Belts
While showering immense praise on Yash's acting prowess, Sharad Kelkar candidly admitted that the Hindi dubbing process was quite demanding. The actor explained that although Yash speaks fluent Hindi, his primary tongue is Kannada, which naturally imparted a slight Kannada accent and cadence to his Hindi dialogue delivery and phrasing. Consequently, the makers decided to enlist a separate voice artist tailored for the sensibilities of Hindi-belt audiences. Sharad clarified that in the original Kannada version, Yash himself has delivered a phenomenal performance using his own exceptional voice.
Collaborative Effort and Yash's Hands-On Approach
Throughout the dubbing sessions, Yash and Sharad Kelkar worked closely in tandem. Sharad described Yash as an extremely warm and approachable individual. He highlighted that during the dubbing process, Yash was actively involved, constantly offering constructive suggestions and inquiring whether a particular scene could be elevated further. The entire creative team operated with a unified singular vision to ensure that Hindi-speaking audiences received the ultimate cinematic experience.
A Tiring Endeavor and Favorite Sequences
Sharad Kelkar shared that working on the dubbing of Ramayana turned out to be one of the most exhausting experiences of his professional career. Commending Yash's relentless hard work, he remarked that the character of Ravana stands as one of the most challenging roles in his career trajectory. The actor singled out three specific scenes that deeply resonated with him: the sequence featuring Ravana's ten heads, the Vidyudjihva scene, and the opening segment where Ravana seeks a boon from Lord Brahma. The ten-headed sequence, in particular, left a lasting impression on him.
Reflecting on Ravana's Intellect and Complex Decisions
According to Sharad's assessment, Ravana was an exceptionally intelligent and well-read personality rather than a stereotypical villain. He possessed profound knowledge across numerous subjects and retained absolute authority over his decisions. Therefore, while dubbing the lines, he made certain that Ravana's voice never displayed any confusion, hesitation, or vulnerability. However, there was a specific scene where Ravana consults his ten heads on whether to charge into battle immediately or bide his time. Sharad expressed immense admiration for this sequence, praising both Nitesh Tiwari and Yash for executing it brilliantly on screen.
Star-Studded Cast and Box Office Milestone
For context, Ramayana: The Rise of a Legend is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Mata Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also features Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana and veteran actor Sunny देओल as Lord Hanuman. At the box office, the film has already crossed a worldwide gross collection of over 200 crore rupees within its first two days of release. Meanwhile, its net collection within India has also comfortably surged past the 100 crore rupee milestone.
