Amid Adipurush row, Jr NTR's old comments on Ravana's greatness go viral: 'Even Lord Rama was astonished'

The problems for the cast and crew of Adipurush are far from over. The movie has been mired in controversies since the release of its teaser last year. And its troubles just grew by leaps and bounds after it made its much-awaited debut at the box office.  

Starring Telugu superstar Prabhas in the lead, Adipurush is the big-screen adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. The movie has come under fire for its portrayal of the iconic characters.

Quick Take | Adipurush Review: This Prabhas movie is a yawn-inducing disaster

Director Om Raut's interpretation of demon king Ravana has particularly come under fire. Critics argue that the character has been reduced to a simplistic and one-dimensional villain driven solely by lust, neglecting the complexity and depth that the character embodies in the original epic. Raut's depiction of Ravana has been deemed unrecognizable and bordering on a spoof, resulting in widespread outrage.

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's portrayal of the iconic villain has met with extreme reactions from the audiences and critics alike. 

In light of the ongoing controversy, an old video of Telugu superstar Jr NTR talking about the greatness of Ravana has resurfaced online. During a promotional interview for his 2017 film Jai Lava Kusa, in which NTR played a character inspired by Ravana, the actor eloquently described the traits that make the legendary villain so formidable. 

"Ravana is the king of 10 countries. He's the emperor of demons. Imagine how knowledgeable he must have been to become so powerful. Now, what will the eyes of a person with such vast knowledge look like? He has seen all good and bad things and he is ruling across 10 worlds. What will his eyes look like? It must be very powerful. He should have X-ray eyes, which enable him to scan a person, who is standing in front of him, inside out. Even Lord Rama was astonished just by looking at Ravana on the battlefield. Even his enemies can't help but praise him. He had mastered Vedas and Shastras and he even shook Lord Shiva with his devotion," Tarak had said. 

What did you think of the depiction of Ranavan in Adipurush?