When Salman Khan was almost cast as Lord Ram in Ramayana

Hyderabad: Ramayana, the upcoming film directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is one of the most awaited movies in Indian cinema. With a massive budget of Rs. 4000 crore (around $500 million), it stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The first part is set to release on Diwali 2026. Fans are already excited after seeing the first look of the film.

But did you know? Long before this big project started, Salman Khan was going to play Lord Ram in another Ramayana film. Yes, this really happened. The film had even started shooting, with posters ready and about 40 percent of the scenes already filmed. It was being directed by Salman’s brother, Sohail Khan.

Sohail Khan’s Big Plan

In the early 90s, right after his first film Auzaar, Sohail Khan began working on Ramayana. He cast Salman as Lord Ram and Sonali Bendre as Sita. Actress and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt was also part of the film. The movie was getting attention, and Salman had started promoting it by dressing up as Ram with bow and arrow.

Why the Film Was Never Completed

The film stopped not because of money or casting problems, but due to personal issues. Sohail Khan and Pooja Bhatt fell in love during the shoot. Their relationship became serious, and Pooja even talked about marriage in interviews. But Salim Khan, their father, didn’t approve. He asked Sohail to end the relationship.

Pooja Bhatt felt hurt and left the film. After that, everything came to a halt. Even though Salman tried to save the project, it was never finished.

Today, as Ranbir prepares to play Lord Ram in the new version, fans still wonder how Salman would have looked in that role. That old project may be forgotten, but it remains a fascinating piece of Bollywood history.