Ayodhya seers to boycott star-studded Ram Leela due to 'cinematic distortions'

According to the organisers, the Ram Leela will feature several well-known film and television actors, including Rajesh Puri, Avtar Gill, Raza Murad, Rakesh Bedi among others.

Ayodhya: The seers in Ayodhya on Monday announced that they will boycott the upcoming star-studded Ram Leela in the temple town, objecting to what they described as its "unrestrained" and "cinematic" presentation.

They alleged that Bollywood actors and models donning key roles in it cannot embody the sacred characters of the Ramayana as many of them consume alcohol, eat meat and indulge in activities considered immoral, which they said disrespects the sanctity of the epic.

"Ram Leela is being staged in a filmy style under the guise of entertainment. This not only distorts the original form of Lord Ram's play but also hurts the sentiments of devotees," Mahant Sanjay Das, priest of Hanuman Garhi temple and head of the Sankat Mochan Sena, told reporters at Bada Bhaktamal temple.

He added that their community would not allow "distortions in an event associated with religion and decorum."

The event, directed by Subhash Malik, is scheduled to begin at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya on September 22. According to the organisers, the Ram Leela will feature several well-known film and television actors, including Rajesh Puri, Avtar Gill, Raza Murad, Rakesh Bedi, Manish Sharma and Rajan Modi, alongside model Rahul Guchchar and Miss Universe India Manika Vishwakarma.

Vishwakarma will play the role of Sita, while Guchchar will portray Lord Ram. Other prominent roles include Rajesh Puri as Hanuman, Raza Murad as Meghnad, Avtar Gill as King Janak, Rakesh Bedi as Vibhishan, Manish Sharma as Ravan, Rajan Modi as Lakshman, Manoj Tiwari as Bali, Ravi Kishan as Kevat and Puneet as Parshuram.