Harish Uthaman, a familiar face in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada cinema, is gearing up for his Hindi debut in ‘Ramayana‘, one of the most awaited films in the country. He essays the key role of Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother, in the epic starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash. With the first part of this grand project releasing over the Diwali weekend, Uthaman speaks about the challenges of bringing such a layered character to life.
Harish Uthaman’s first reaction to playing Vibhishana
In a conversation with Variety India, Harish was asked about his first reaction to being offered the role. He said, “I remember getting a call from the chief AD, Jay (Shah), saying the executive producer wants to speak to me, and when he told me that he wants me for Vibhishana, it was super exciting. It was even more exciting that I am going to be part of ‘Ramayana’, and I wanted to read and study more about Vibhishana.”
What Harish Uthaman found toughest about Vibhishana
When asked which aspects of Vibhishana’s personality were the toughest to portray on screen, Harish said, “So far, what we have shot is the part where Vibhishana leaves his home, tribe and kingdom and goes to Rama’s side. That’s a moment where the character dynamics changes. This is what I understand and that is what I have felt. As Vibhishana, he was for Dharma and not for Adharma. When he leaves his tribe, that’s his own brother and his family, and he’s going to the other side. So, that aspect was quite challenging; that’s what I felt.”“We always have our own views and our own perspective. But when we go perform, when the director gives us the directions or the nuances or the inputs, that’s when that character gets shaped up in a better way. So, more than challenging to portray on screen, it was to arrive at that point and mindset as a person that was challenging”, he added.
‘Ramayana’ to release in two parts
In the film, Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Ravi Dubey and Yash play pivotal roles. The story will be released in two parts, with the first installment arriving in theatres worldwide in November 2026, ahead of Diwali, and the second part set for Diwali 2027.
