Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar Co-Star Turned Down Ramayana; Later Said Yash’s Dates Were More Important Than His

Before establishing himself as one of Hindi cinema’s finest actors, Jaideep Ahlawat featured in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar (2011), headlined by Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri. Though his role was relatively small, the film marked one of his earliest Bollywood appearances. Over the next few years, he steadily built a reputation as a dependable performer, taking on supporting roles that showcased his versatility long before he became a household name.

Following Rockstar, Jaideep featured in films like Aakrosh, Commando, Gabbar Is Back, Raees and Baaghi 3. Despite consistently earning praise, mainstream recognition remained elusive as he was largely cast in supporting or antagonist roles. His breakthrough as a leading performer came much later in 2020 with Paatal Lok. His portrayal of Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary won widespread acclaim and transformed him into one of the industry’s most sought-after actors.

Years after Paatal Lok, Jaideep was approached for Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra’s ambitious adaptation of Ramayana. The makers reportedly offered him the role of Vibhishana, Ravana’s younger brother, who ultimately sides with Lord Ram. It was a significant opportunity to be part of one of Indian cinema’s biggest productions, but the actor eventually chose not to come on board because of scheduling issues.

Speaking about the decision, Jaideep clarified that he didn’t reject the role because of the script or the character. Instead, it boiled down to scheduling conflicts. Since Vibhishana shares several crucial scenes with Ravana, played by Yash, the production required the actors’ dates to align. Unfortunately, Jaideep’s existing commitments made it impossible for him to accommodate the film’s shooting schedule.

Explaining why the scheduling couldn’t be adjusted, Jaideep candidly remarked in an interveiw to Lallantop that “Ravan ki dates mujh se zyada important hogi.” The actor’s light-hearted comment quickly went viral on social media. He acknowledged that coordinating Yash’s schedule naturally took precedence for a project mounted on such a massive scale, making the decision more practical than personal.

Following Jaideep’s exit, Harish Uthaman stepped in to play Vibhishana in Ramayana, the magnum opus. The actor is part of the film’s sprawling ensemble cast led by Ranbir, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Rakul Preet Singh Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kajal Aggarwal Kitchlu and others. Some of Harish’s most recognised performances include Adaikalam in Kaithi and roles in films like Vikram, Bheeshma Parvam, Mayanadhi, Kalki and Pushpa: The Rise.