Did you know Salman Khan was once set to play Lord Ram on the big screen? Long before Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana became one of Bollywood's most-awaited movies, an ambitious adaptation of Sage Valmiki's epic was planned in the 1990s with Salman in the lead. The project, however, never made it to the big screen.
Now, as excitement grows around the two-part Ramayana, reportedly mounted on a Rs 4,000 crore budget, here's a look back at the shelved movie that could have changed Bollywood's fate forever.
Sohail Khan directed the movie, which starred Salman as Lord Ram and Sonali Bendre as Sita. It also featured Pooja Bhatt in a key part, according to a Mid-Day report.
The shoot was 40% completed before it was completely stopped.
Salman Khan not only filmed a few sequences for the movie but also shot promotional stills in Ram's traditional garb, which included a bow and arrow. In addition to actively filming scenes.
(Image: X/@toxic_logann)
This sudden halt not only increased the financial burden but also hit personal relationships. Yes, you read that right.
In the end, the movie was permanently scrapped. Fans were left wondering what could have been a historic moment in Indian cinema, seeing Salman Khan step into the role of Lord Ram alongside Sonali Bendre's Sita. It remains one of Bollywood's biggest 'what if' stories.
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Salim Khan stepped in and told Sohail Khan to back out, but why? So, while filming, Salman Khan's brother and Pooja Bhatt got closer to the point that the latter spoke about potential marriage plans in interviews.
So, now even when Salman Khan tried to fix things and save the movie, Pooja Bhatt was hurt and walked away. That completely stopped the production. It was completely scrapped.
Now, nearly 30 years later, a new adaptation of Valmiki’s epic Ramayana is finally coming. Part one hits theatres on November 6, 2026. It stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The cast also includes Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, and Kunal Kapoor.
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It marked a quiet end to what might have been a defining moment in Hindi cinema—bringing Salman Khan’s portrayal of Lord Ram and Sonali Bendre’s Sita to the big screen. The movie simply became another forgotten chapter in Bollywood history.