Chinmayi defends Ranbir Kapoor’s casting in Ramayana amid resurfaced beef comment

Actor Ranbir Kapoor has recently come under renewed scrutiny over a remark he made nearly 15 years ago regarding his food preferences. The controversy, which originally arose from a 2011 interview during the promotions of Rockstar, has resurfaced as Ranbir prepares to play Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming magnum opus Ramayana.

While discussing his culinary tastes back then, Ranbir had said, “My family is from Peshawar, so a lot of Peshawari food has come with them. I am a mutton, paya, and beef fan. Yeah, I am a big beef fan." Though the comment was made over a decade ago, it continues to draw backlash—especially now, with some questioning his suitability to portray a revered deity like Lord Ram.

A fresh wave of online outrage began when a user on X (formerly Twitter) shared a behind-the-scenes image of Ranbir Kapoor as Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita, writing, "Beef Eater will be playing the role of Bhagavan Ram now! What's wrong with Bollywood?"

In response, renowned singer Chinmayi Sripaada publicly voiced her support for the actor. In a sharply worded reply to the tweet, she stated, "A babaji who uses the name of God can be a rapist and he can keep getting parole to get votes in bhakt India – however what someone eats is a big problem."