Ranbir Kapoor apologises for Kolkata Dussehra speech, clarifies remarks

Actor Ranbir Kapoor has apologised for a verbal slip during a Dussehra celebration in Kolkata, clarifying his intended message after a video of his speech went viral on social media.

The Ramayana actor addressed the incident at an event in Chennai on Wednesday, saying he had a “slip of tongue” while speaking about the triumph of good over evil.

“I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the incident that happened yesterday. I was at the Dussehra event, and I had a slip of the tongue,” Ranbir said.

Explaining what he meant, he said in Hindi: “Burai chahe kitni bhi taaqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein jeet achchai aur sachchai ki hoti hai” (No matter how powerful evil may be, truth and goodness will ultimately prevail).

What Ranbir Kapoor said at the Kolkata event

The incident took place on Tuesday, October 20, when Ranbir attended a Dussehra celebration organised by Salt Lake Sanskritik Sansad at Central Park in Salt Lake, Kolkata.

Addressing the crowd, he said: “Burai kitni bhi taqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein ant sachchai aur achchai ki hi hoti hai” (No matter how powerful evil may be, in the end, truth and goodness meet their end).

The use of the word ant (end), instead of jeet (victory), appeared to contradict the message he intended to convey. Clips of the speech circulated widely online, prompting reactions on social media.

The event was organised around the theme Ram Er Ayodhya – Ram Ki Ayodhya. Producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari and actor Ravie Dubey were also present.

Ranbir quotes ‘Rockstar’ song while apologising

During his clarification in Chennai, Ranbir made a playful reference to his 2011 film Rockstar, which featured music composed by AR Rahman.

Quoting a line from the film’s music, he said: “Jo bhi kehna chahoon, barbaad karein alfaaz mere” (Whatever I wish to say, my words end up ruining it).

Ranbir was accompanied by his Ramayana co-star, Sai Pallavi, at the Chennai event.

All about Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana’

The actor plays Lord Rama in director Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part cinematic adaptation of the Ramayana. Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, Yash plays Ravana, Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman.

Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, the film is planned as a two-part epic.

Ramayana: Part 1 is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026, with the second instalment planned for Diwali 2027. The film will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, with an IMAX presentation planned.