The buzz around Namit Malhotra and Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious Ramayana has revived an interesting chapter from Bollywood history. Long before Ranbir Kapoor was cast as Lord Rama, Salman Khan was reportedly set to play the revered character in an ambitious adaptation of the epic.
The project was planned in the 1990s and was reportedly to be directed by Salman’s brother, Sohail Khan. Salman Khan was set to portray Lord Rama, while Sonali Bendre was reportedly attached to play Sita. The film was an ambitious attempt to bring the epic to the big screen with a major Bollywood cast.
What makes the story particularly surprising is that the film reportedly went into production and around 40% of the shoot was completed before the project was eventually shelved.
Decades later, the Ramayana is once again at the centre of Bollywood attention. Nitesh Tiwari’s new two-part adaptation features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari have recently said that Ranbir was their first choice for the role of Rama.
The new Ramayana is being mounted on a massive scale, with international ambitions and high-end visual effects. The first instalment is scheduled for an India release on November 8, 2026, following its international release on November 6.
While Salman Khan never got to complete his version of the epic, the resurfacing of this story offers a fascinating glimpse into how Bollywood has repeatedly tried to bring the Ramayana to the big screen.
Today, Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal has taken the spotlight, but Salman Khan’s long-shelved version remains an intriguing “what if?” in Hindi cinema history.