Overview

• The Luv-Kush Ramleela committee shared a clip in which Poonam Pandey confirms she will play Mandodari at Delhi’s Red Fort and expresses excitement about the role.
• Pandey says she will observe a nine-day fast during Navratri to prepare for the character, describing Mandodari as a significant figure in the epic.
• The Vishwa Hindu Parishad filed a formal objection, with Delhi secretary Surendra Gupta urging culturally appropriate casting for a role he called a symbol of virtue and restraint.
• Critics opposing the choice point to Pandey’s past publicity stunts, including her 2011 strip promise and a 2024 fake death announcement, as potentially hurtful to devotees’ sentiments.
• This year’s production, described in coverage as UNESCO-recognised, begins September 22, with a cast that includes Arya Babbar as Ravan, Kinshuk Vaidya as Ram, Rini Arya as Sita, and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari as Parashurama.