Entertainment · Indian Cinema · 6 hrs ago
Sonia Balani says she was not worried about Urmila’s screen time
Sonia Balani plays Urmila in Ramayana, a two-part film directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
Urmila is Lakshman’s wife and Sita’s sister in the epic.
In the story, Lakshman leaves Urmila behind in Ayodhya for 14 years when he goes with Rama and Sita into exile.
The first film gives Urmila only a brief cameo with no lines, leaving out much of her story.
Balani said she was not worried about her screen time and was glad to be part of something large.
She sees Urmila’s quiet sacrifice as a lesson in doing what matters without needing to be the main character.
The second film is planned for Diwali 2028, according to the report.
Sonia Balani said she was not worried about how much screen time her character Urmila received in Ramayana.
Urmila’s scenes were mostly cut from the film, leaving Balani with a small cameo and no lines, according to Hindustan Times.
Balani said being part of a large-scale epic and working with director Nitesh Tiwari was reason enough.
She described Urmila’s decision to let Lakshman leave for exile as one of the biggest sacrifices she had heard of.
Ramayana Part 1 was released worldwide on November 5, 2026.
- Who
- Sonia Balani, who plays Urmila in Ramayana.
- What
- She said she was not worried about Urmila’s limited screen time in the film.
- When
- The comments appeared in interviews reported on November 9 and 10, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Balani said she was happy to be part of a large-scale epic and to work with director Nitesh Tiwari.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Balani said she first auditioned for Soorpanakha and was finalised for Urmila within a day.
Ramayana Part 1 was released worldwide.
The Times of India published Balani’s comments about the role and her screen time.
Hindustan Times reported that Balani was not sad about Urmila’s limited role in the final film.
- Actor
- Sonia Balani
- Character
- Urmila, Lakshman’s wife and Sita’s sister
- Film director
- Nitesh Tiwari
- Part 1 release
- November 5, 2026
- Second part planned
- Diwali 2028
2 sources
What people are saying
It's one of the biggest sacrifices that we have known about. Being a woman of today's generation, it's beyond my imagination. I am yet to fathom how she found that strength. I just can't imagine anyone making such a big sacrifice, that too, right after getting married,
I feel she made every sacrifice with a smile on her face, and she never wanted to be the main character in her own story.
Sometimes, it's okay to be part of something big and be happy with what you have done.
She would guide all of us. I think she already has a very Sita-like vibe. She’s very grounded, calm, sweet and sisterly. Maybe that’s why she always seemed like an elder sister to me throughout,