Ashutosh Rana, ‘Humare Ram’ Star as Ravan, Says: "I Am a Bad Actor"

Recently, Ashutosh Rana, a brilliant actor known for his roles in films like Chhawa (with Vicky Kaushal) and Loveyapa (with Junaid Khan), is making a grand return to the theater after 22 years. This time, he is performing in his biggest play yet, Humare Ram. In this play, Ashutosh is portraying the character of Ravan, and his performance has created a storm of excitement everywhere. His portrayal of Ravan, a role he has never done before, is receiving immense success and widespread praise.

In a recent interview, Ashutosh Rana opened up about his character in Humare Ram, the glory of Lord Ram, the qualities of Ravan, his dream roles, and his upcoming projects. Let’s dive into what he had to say.

“Humare Ram” – What Comes to Your Mind When You Hear This Word? What Would You Like to Say About Our Ram?

Lord Ram, the Maryada Purushottam, is known for his vast mind, character, and thinking. His personality is so expansive that even though he took birth as a man many ages ago, his relevance remains eternal. Just as his feet are worshipped, so should his conduct be revered. If we worship his feet, we must also honor his actions. By doing so, our lives would be enriched.

Saints have said that one Ram is the son of Dasharatha, one Ram resides in every heart, one Ram's face is vast, and one Ram is omnipresent. This means Ram is the same, but every person perceives him differently based on their perspective. The way people experience and express his personality is shaped by their unique viewpoint.

Speaking of my play, we’ve already done 162 shows, which is a significant achievement in itself. The love, appreciation, and support we’ve received from the audience have made this possible, and it’s because of this that we’ve been able to perform these 162 shows across the country.

You Are Performing in "Humare Ram". Theater Performances Have Very Few Takes, Once You Step into a Character, You’re In It. On the Other Hand, In Films, You Have Multiple Takes. With 162 Shows So Far, How Challenging Has It Been for You, and How Do You Make It Easier?

Look, nothing in this world is easy. Every task, every event, every action is filled with challenges. It’s up to us whether we showcase those challenges or hide them. Even talking is not easy; we learn to speak at the age of two, but we spend our entire lives learning what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. Everything comes with its own set of challenges, but with challenges comes excitement. If we focus on the process, each step becomes filled with enthusiasm.

In theater, we perform on stage after rigorous rehearsals. In films, we have the option of re-takes. After rehearsing, we give our best performance, while in films, we may do 10 takes and select the best one. On stage, you’re not only responsible for your own mistakes but also have to stay in sync with your fellow actors. There are also spontaneous mistakes, where you might say something, and your co-actor might misunderstand it. To avoid these mistakes, constant practice is necessary, and only then will these errors not scare us.

When We See You, We Think You Could Do a Great Job as Lord Ram. But You Are Playing Ravan. Why Did You Choose to Play Ravan Instead?

The reason is simple: if I played Lord Ram, I wouldn’t have the liberty to keep mentioning Ram’s name repeatedly. But by playing Ravan, I get the freedom to say Ram’s name as often as I like. This gives me the chance to remember Ram through Ravan’s character.

There’s a story related to this. Once, Lord Ram was sitting by the ocean, preparing to take a bath. He placed his bow in the sand, and after a while, he noticed blood coming from it. Surprised, he asked Laxman to move the bow. When they did, they found a frog underneath. Ram asked the frog, “You’re so skilled at speaking, but why didn’t you say anything when the bow was pressing on you?” The frog replied, “If the world had pressed me, I would have called out ‘Ram.’ But when Ram pressed me, who would I call?” This story emphasizes that in the Kalyug, chanting the name of Ram can help one connect with him. While I play Ravan, I am constantly thinking of Ram in my heart and character, just as we all should.

You Are Playing Ravan, and You’ve Said That Ravan Had Many Aspects. He Was Wise, Brave, and Even Pleased Lord Shiva. Which Aspect of Ravan Do You Like the Most When You Portray Him on Screen or on Stage?

I believe that we’ve all gotten used to seeing characters in black and white – heroes and villains. However, I never view any character in fragments, whether it’s in life or on stage or film. Characters have both positive and negative traits. When a character is more beneficial to society, we call them a hero. When they cause more pain, they’re considered a villain. But there’s no true villain; it's all about perspective.

If you view Ram from the perspective of Shabari, Ahilya, or Tara, you’ll see him as a friend. But if you look through the lens of Sulochana or Ravan, Ram might seem negative. The moment you come into contact with Ram and still remain unaffected, both you and I start thinking differently about him.

When You See Yourself in the Costume of a Ravan, Do You Feel Like You Are Ravan?

This is something the audience decides. They will determine whether they see an actor in me or Ravan’s character. It’s the audience’s feedback that will guide me in shaping my performance further.

Apart from Humare Ram, You Have Two Other Films, Loveyapa and Chhaava, Releasing in Theaters. Are There Any Other Projects?

Yes, apart from these two films, I also have a movie releasing on February 21st called Kaushalji vs Kaushal. It will be available on Jio Hotstar. In this film, you’ll get to see me in different roles. If all four characters look the same, you can say I’m a bad actor. But if they seem different, then you can say you’ve given me joy and good wishes for a bright future.

Your Close Friend Aamir Khan Said You Speak Very Well But You Don’t Meet People Often. Are You Thinking of Becoming a Politician?

No, I still want to focus on acting. There are many roles I want to play. I’ve played Ravan, but I would love to portray Chanakya, Vasudev Krishna, and Vivekananda. There are many more roles that I want to dive into.

Ashutosh Rana, the actor who has penned a book on Ram Raj, always dreamed of playing Ravan and has now fulfilled this dream through Humare Ram. The play features songs sung by renowned singers Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, and Kailasa Kher.

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