Sonia Balani Steps Into Urmila’s Shoes for Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana’

As Nitesh Tiwari’s mammoth two-part epic Ramayana edges closer to its Diwali release, attention is turning to the women who stand quietly beside its central heroes. Among them is actress Sonia Balani, who has been cast as Urmila - the wife of Lakshman and a character often remembered less for what she did than for what she gave up.

Urmila, the second daughter of King Janak and younger sister to Sita, is one of mythology’s enduring symbols of quiet endurance. According to popular tradition surrounding the epic, while her husband accompanied Ram and Sita into fourteen years of exile, Urmila remained behind in Ayodhya, her own sacrifice unfolding away from the spotlight the way loyalty often does. It’s this understated strength that Balani says drew her to the part - a story of devotion that rarely gets told from the woman’s point of view.

For Balani, the role arrives at a pivotal point in her career. She first drew widespread notice for her performance in The Kerala Story, a film that became one of the most talked-about releases of its year, and she has previously featured in Tum Bin 2. Taking on Urmila in a production of this scale marks a significant step up - not just in visibility, but in the emotional weight the character demands.

Ramayana itself is shaping up to be one of Indian cinema’s most ambitious undertakings. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra alongside Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, the project brings together a sprawling ensemble: Ranbir Kapoor leads as Lord Ram - and, as recently confirmed, will also appear in a second role as Parashuram - opposite Sai Pallavi as Sita. Yash plays Ravana, Ravie Dubey takes on Lakshman, Sunny Deol appears as Hanuman, and Lara Dutta rounds out the cast as Kaikeyi. Shot for IMAX and built around extensive visual effects, the film is being positioned as a two-part saga aimed at introducing the Ram-Ravana story to audiences well beyond India, with the first installment slated for release this Diwali and the second to follow in 2027.

Balani has spoken about the responsibility of portraying a figure as culturally resonant as Urmila, calling it both a privilege and a weight she’s conscious of carrying well. Working alongside a filmmaker of Tiwari’s stature, and within a cast anchored by Kapoor, only adds to that sense of occasion, she has said.

Whether Urmila’s story finds the screen time it deserves remains to be seen, but her casting signals that Ramayana is looking to give its lesser-told characters genuine weight - not just mythological spectacle, but the human sacrifices tucked inside it.