Yash found it hard to explain to his son why he was playing the 'Bad Guy' in ‘Ramayana’

Yash may be a hero to millions of fans, but explaining to his son why he is playing the villain in ‘Ramayana’ turned out to be a different challenge altogether. The actor, who essays the role of Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming big-budget film ‘Ramayana’, recently opened up about his son's reaction to his casting. During a promotional interaction with television presenter Suma Kanakala, Yash revealed that his children, who have grown up listening to the epic from their grandparents, found it difficult to imagine their father as Ravana.

Recalling the conversation, Yash said his son was quick to question the casting. "For a son, his father is his hero. Since he knows the story, he asked me, 'You are Ravana? How can you be Ravana? Aren't you Rama?' So, I said, 'Yes, I am Rama in real life, but in the movie, I am playing Ravana.' But he was like, 'Then you are the bad guy.'"

Yash said he had to explain the difference between cinema and real life, even using drawings to help his son understand the concept of acting. However, the conversation took a more interesting turn when his son asked him who he should root for while watching the film. The actor admitted that he found the question complicated, especially since audiences might also wonder why he chose to play Ravana, a character who is ultimately on the opposing side of Rama. He also acknowledged that his portrayal of Ravana, particularly in the episode of Sita's abduction, would put him in a position where audiences might not necessarily root for him.

Explaining how he answered his son, Yash said, "When we listen to the story, it is Rama whom everybody has to follow. Ravana might look glamorous, fancy or powerful. But ultimately, if you need to win, you have to understand the essence of Lord Rama. However, in the movie, you can root for me. But don't take it personally." The ‘KGF’ star also revealed that while he had considered how his fans would react to him taking on such a negative role, he had not really thought about how his own son would respond to seeing him as Ravana.