Soap opera fans are accustomed to outlandish plot twists, but some storylines are beyond the pale.
Published on: Sept 22, 2025 07:30 pm IST
After the Lav Kush Ramlila committee signed Poonam Pandey to play Mandodari, BJP Media Cell head and secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad want her swapped.
This year, the Lav Kush Ramlila committee has new additions to their troupe. Actor Poonam Pandey has been roped in to play Mandodari, Ravan’s wife, in the play. But not everyone is happy with the news, given that some political leaders want her to be swapped out due to her ‘controversies’.
Poonam Pandey roped in for Ramleela
Poonam will be playing Mandodari in this year’s Ramleela. Arjun Kumar, president of the Lav Kush Ramlila, said in a statement, “When we approached Poonam Pandey for this role, she instantly agreed. She shared that portraying Mandodari on stage has been her lifelong dream, fulfilled by the blessings of Lord Shri Ram. Performing live before thousands of spectators is a challenge, and she is already deeply engrossed in rehearsals to perfect her performance.” The actor is known for starring in films like Karma—The Journey and GST: Galti Se Sirf and appearing on TV shows like CID and the reality show Lock Upp.
BJP, VHP want her replaced
After the news broke, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) media cell head Praveen Shankar Kapoor, who’s also the senior vice president of the Lav Kush Ramlila Committee, wrote to the organisers requesting that Poonam be swapped with another actor. According to PTI, Vishva Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) Prant Surendra Gupta has also objected to Poonam playing Mandodari in Ramlila.
According to the news agency, Praveen urged the organisers to distance themselves from Poonam and said, “Pandey has not only been off the screen for years but is also known for controversies over her photos and videos on social media.” However, the president of the committee, Arjun, told PTI, “We don’t see anything wrong with a woman playing a character that represents goodness in the Ramleela. Everyone deserves a chance.”
About Lav Kush Ramlila
Lav Kush Ramlila hosts one of the most iconic Ramlila performances in Delhi every year. Arjun stated that Poonam will play Mandodari and take the stage on 29 and 30 September. Performances are to begin from 22 September onwards. More than 500 performers will participate in the staging, which will take place at Red Ford Ground in New Delhi till 3 October, with a grand celebration planned for 2 October on Dussehra. Arya Babbar will play Ravan at the Ramlila this year.
Deepika Padukone has always been one of Bollywood’s most popular stars. Recently, news of her leaving Kalki 2 surprised fans and sparked debates online. After this news, an old interview about her leaving Race 2 came back into the spotlight, once again raising debates about her professional choices.
The Race 2 Incident
An old interview with filmmaker Ramesh Taurani came back into the spotlight. He talked about how Deepika left Abbas–Mustan’s Race 2 in 2012 after shooting for six days. Taurani said she left without a proper reason and went to a Hollywood project. He also mentioned that he tried to meet her on the sets of Cocktail to solve the issue, but she showed no regret.
Taurani explained, “We tried everything to convince her not to do this. I really tried to find a way to work things out with Deepika. Unfortunately, she was not willing to budge and did not even show an ounce of remorse for the massive inconvenience caused to us, our actors, and our senior directors. After this, I had no choice but to file a complaint against her in the AMPTPP and CINTAA. This unprofessional behaviour deeply saddens me.” (via: News18)
Later, the matter was resolved, and Deepika returned to the film with new terms.
Reason behind the Kalki 2 Removal
According to reports from News18, the main reason for Deepika’s exit was her demands regarding fees and work hours. She reportedly asked for a 25 percent increase in her acting fee along with a strict 7-hour workday. The producers tried negotiating on both points, but she and her team did not budge.
This is to officially announce that @deepikapadukone will not be a part of the upcoming sequel of #Kalki2898AD.
After careful consideration, We have decided to part ways. Despite the long journey of making the first film, we were unable to find a partnership.
And a film like…
— Vyjayanthi Movies (@VyjayanthiFilms) September 18, 2025
Another challenge was her entourage, which reportedly included 25 people. The actress’s team asked for five-star accommodation and reimbursement for food for all members throughout the shoot. The producers requested that she reduce the team size, but Deepika remained firm in her demands.
Even with these controversies, Deepika Padukone remains one of the most popular and successful actresses in Bollywood.
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