Bollywood actors Ramlila would be telecast live on Doordarshan from Oct 5

Ayodhya: The much popular live Ramlila of Bollywood film stars in Ayodhya begins here on October 5. Uttar Pradesh Culture and Tourism Minister Dr Neelkanth Tiwari will inaugurate the program, officials here on Sunday said.

Ramlila will be held from October 5 to October 15.

The Ramlila will be shown live on Doordarshan from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm every night.

Bhojpuri star Manoj Tiwari will be seen in several roles while Ravi Kishan will be seen in the role of Parashuram and well-known actor Vindu Dara Singh as Hanuman.

Padamshree Malini Awasthi will be seen in the role of Mata Shabri while popular actor Bhagyashree will play as Sita.

Shahbaz Khan will play the role of Ravana. Arbaaz Khan, Raza Murad, Asrani and Avatar Gill will be the other actors playing different role this year.

This year the star studded Ramlila in Ayodhya will be virtual affair and Bollywood actors will perform scenes from the epic on the Saryu banks without an audience.

Director of the event, Subhash Malik, said, “Due to pandemic curbs, this year too, a grand Ramlila at Laxman Qila will have no audience, but will be telecast live on Doordarshan and social media platforms.

Meanwhile, several seers of Ayodhya, including Mahant Dharam Das of Hanuman Garhi temple, have demanded that Bollywood actors should not be allowed to perform in Ramlilas as they do not have “moral and religious discipline”.

Seers said the artistes who perform in traditional Ramlilas follow strict discipline in their lives and people bow before them to seek blessings.

Last month they had sought intervention by chief minister Yogi Adityanath into this matter. (UNI)