delhi-ramlila-committee-drops-poonam-panday-from-mandodari-role

It is official now. Actor Poonam Panday will not be playing the role of Mandodari , wife of Ravana in Delhi's famous annual Ramlila event held at Red Fort every year. In what looked like an inevitable decision amid row that erupted over the issue few days back,  the Luv Kush Ramleela Committee in Delhi has decided to drop actor Poonam Pandey from playing this role of Mandodari, in this year's Ramleela following opposition from several groups.

 

The Lavkush Ramlila Committee  announced this decision today, nearly a week after their decision to cast her as Ravan's wife Mandodari sparked protests from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Speaking at a press conference here at the Constitutional Club of India, committee president Arjun Kumar said, "An artist should be judged by their work and not their past; the decision was reviewed in light of public sentiment." "Every woman has a role to play in society and should not be humiliated. Initially, we believed Poonam Pandey could positively portray Mandodari. But considering the uproar among certain sections, we had to reconsider," Kumar said.

 

The committee respects Pandey as an artist but has decided that another actor will play the role, he said."Our objective is to spread the message of Lord Ram and harmony in society. We do not want any controversy to overshadow the event," Kumar said.

In a letter addressed to Pandey, the committee said the decision should not be seen as disrespect towards her but as a step to uphold the ideals of Lord Ram.

 

The Luv Kush Ramleela, one of the most prominent Ramleelas in the capital, draws thousands of visitors each year and has previously featured many film and television actors.Pertinently, in a previous statement, Arjun Kumar had said, “Poonam contacted us, expressing her desire to join the Ramlila. She has acted in Hindi and Punjabi films, and we felt it would be a good fit.” Despite the backlash, the committee had defended their decision, stating, “An artist is an artist, and we won’t replace her.” However, they noted that they respected everyone’s right to express an opinion on the matter.