Arjun Kumar, president, and Subhash Goyal, general secretary of the Ramlila’s organising committee, in a statement shared, “Poonam Pandey had initially agreed to portray Mandodari at the committee’s invitation. However, after her name was announced, several institutions and groups raised objections, which, according to the committee, could hinder the core purpose of the Ramlila — to spread the message of Lord Shri Ram to society.”

The committee has also wished Poonam Pandey well for the future and expressed hope that she would respect and accept their decision.

The Lav Kush Ramlila Committee has a long history of casting film actors from Mumbai in key roles, and Pandey, who has acted in Hindi and Punjabi films, approached the committee herself for the part.

Poonam Pandey on playing Mandodari

The actor herself confirmed the news through a video on Instagram. In her message earlier, she said, “Dilli ke Red Fort mein jo world-famous Lav Kush Ramlila ka play hota hai, usme mujhe, Mandodari, ek jo bahot hi important character hai, jo Raavan ki patni thi, unka kirdaar nibhane ka afsar mila hai. Main bahot hi zyada khush hoon. Bahot hi important character hai.”

She also revealed that she plans to observe Navratri fasting while preparing for the role. “Maine yeh bhi decide kiya hai ke main poori Navratri fasting rakhungi, taaki main apne mann se, apne tann se, aur bhi zyada cleansed raho, iss khoobsurat se role ko play karne ke liye. Jai Shree Ram, milte hai Ramlila mein,” she added.

Poonam Pandey Controversies

Poonam Pandey has often been in the news for her bold actions and statements. She first gained attention in 2011 when she promised to strip if India won the ICC World Cup. Although she didn’t follow through, the stunt got a lot of media coverage.

Recently, in February 2024, she staged a fake death announcement on social media to raise awareness about cervical cancer, which drew widespread criticism. She later apologised for causing distress to her followers.