As Ranbir Kapoor prepares for the release of Nitesh Tiwari’s much-anticipated ‘Ramayana’, few may remember that Salman Khan was once reportedly set to play Lord Ram in an earlier adaptation of the epic. The ambitious project, was to be directed by his brother Sohail Khan in the 1990s, had even gone on floors before it was eventually shelved.According to reports, Sohail Khan had envisioned a grand-scale cinematic retelling of the ‘Ramayana’ during the early 1990s. Salman Khan was reportedly cast as Lord Ram, while Sonali Bendre was finalised to portray Sita. The film was planned as a lavish mythological spectacle, and preparations had progressed considerably, with portions of the movie already filmed.However, the project reportedly ran into trouble after Sohail Khan began dating actor Pooja Bhatt during the film’s production. Pooja played a pivotal role in the project. A Mid-Day report stated that Pooja had even spoken publicly about the possibility of marriage around 1995. She had said, “Marriage is definitely on my mind, but Sohail is just on the threshold of an exciting, new career as a director and I want to work two more years before deciding on the venue and the menu. We do want a future together. Not just as in the normal culmination of any relationship but in wanting to be together. I want it and so does he.”Reports further claimed that the relationship did not have the approval of Sohail’s family. Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, Sohail’s father, was said to be unhappy with the relationship and reportedly advised his son to end it, citing concerns over its implications.The reported fallout is believed to have affected the film’s progress. Pooja Bhatt eventually exited ‘Ramayana’, following which the ambitious project began losing momentum. Although attempts were reportedly made to revive the production, the film was ultimately abandoned.According to reports, nearly 40 per cent of the film had already been completed before the makers decided to shelve the project, bringing an end to what could have been one of the most ambitious mythological films of its time.
