Poonam Pandey as Mandodari in Ramleela Triggers Backlash

New Delhi, September 20: The casting of Poonam Pandey as Mandodari in Delhi’s Lav-Kush Ramleela has landed like a thunderclap. What might have been a straightforward announcement has quickly turned into a cultural brawl, with religious groups fuming and organisers standing firm.

Tradition Collides With Reputation

For the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the problem is simple. Mandodari isn’t just another role; she embodies patience, restraint, and virtue. To hand that part to an actor better known for bold photo shoots and explicit content, they argue, is a betrayal. “Mandodari is dignity itself,” wrote VHP’s Delhi secretary Surendra Gupta in a letter to the organisers. To them, the choice isn’t just poor casting, it’s disrespect to millions of devotees.

Several sadhus and mahants have echoed the sentiment. Some have even described it as a calculated attempt to mock faith. That anger is already spilling into headlines, and in a city where Ramleela is as much a political stage as a religious one, it isn’t likely to fade quietly.

Organisers Push Back

But the Lav-Kush Ramleela Committee isn’t blinking. President Arjun Kumar has been blunt. Poonam Pandey deserves a chance. “Why should her past shut every door?” he asked in response to critics. He also pointed to what he called a double standard men in public life, he said, are allowed to reinvent themselves, while women are shackled by their reputations.

Kumar insists Pandey’s performance will be within the boundaries of Maryada (propriety). His message is clear if we can’t allow people to change, what’s the point of staging moral tales in the first place?

Pandey Steps Into The Spotlight

For Pandey, this is not just another gig. Weeks ago, she was in the news for all the wrong reasons after a fake post claiming her death went viral. She later admitted it was a stunt to raise awareness about cervical cancer. That admission brought her another round of criticism, but also sympathy from some quarters.

Now, standing on a Ramleela stage, she sees an opening. “It’s an honour,” she said, describing the role as a way to reconnect with culture. Her words suggest she knows exactly what’s at stake, not just a part in a play, but a chance to rewrite her public story.

A Bigger Question Than One Casting

The debate around Pandey isn’t really about her alone. Ramleela in Delhi is more than a performance. It’s a tradition that pulls in politicians, celebrities, and tens of thousands of devotees each year. Casting decisions have always carried symbolic weight.

This fight, then, is about who gets to represent sacred ideals in modern India. Should roles in mythological plays be reserved for those seen as morally beyond question? Or should theatre, by its very nature, be a place where people are allowed to surprise us?

What Lies Ahead

For now, the organisers say Pandey stays. The VHP is digging in. Neither side looks ready to budge. If the protests swell, authorities may be forced to step in, but at the moment rehearsals continue, and Pandey is preparing to walk out as Mandodari.

Whether audiences accept her in the role or reject her outright will be the real test. Either way, this year’s Ramleela is no longer just about the battle of Ram and Ravan. It has become a clash over reputation, redemption, and the power of tradition to adapt or not.

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Ayesha Khan

Entertainment Correspondent – Ayesha@hindustanherald.in – Web

Covers films, television, streaming, and celebrity culture with a focus on storytelling trends.

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