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Yash calls Ravana the 'brain' of Ramayana amid debate over portrayal: 'He's not a straightforward villain'
Updated On: 09 November, 2026 06:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Amid the ongoing debate around the glorification of Ravana in the Ramayana, Yash has now opened up about the role, calling the character the 'brain' of the epic. He also recalled how his friends and family asked him not to do it

Yash as Ravana. Pic via special arrangement
After Ramayana was released, many viewers were left divided over the portrayal of the asura Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's magnum opus. Many even alleged that the character, who abducts Sita, led to the war, was being glorified. Amid this, Yash has opened up about the character and why he wanted to do it. He also revealed that his friends and family did not want him to play the role.
Yash on playing Ravana
The makers of Ramayana recently shared a behind-the-scenes video showing how the actor transformed into Ravana for the film. In the video, Yash revealed that his decision to play Ravana surprised his friends and family initially. He said, "None of my friends or family- everybody- was like, 'Why do you want to play Ravana?' As a producer, I wanted to make Ramayana because it's our story, but as an actor, I wanted to play Ravana. The only challenge was that people thought, 'Okay, you are loved by people, and if you're doing a character who is so hated, people won't be able to celebrate you or appreciate you'."


