Sai Pallavi’s MBBS-to-acting switch gets a divine KBC spin

When Sai Pallavi sat across from Amitabh Bachchan on Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, the question wasn’t about mythology. Big B asked how she moved from studying medicine to facing the camera. Her answer, and Ranbir Kapoor’s quick follow-up, turned a routine film-promotion stop into a moment fans are already circulating.

From MBBS to the hot seat

The promo, shared ahead of the Ramayana cast’s special episodes on October 29 and 30, shows Bachchan asking Sai Pallavi how she went from doctor to actor. She replies that the journey was destined, saying it was written that she was supposed to act. As the audience cheers, Ranbir jumps in with a line that sums up the tone: “Bhagwan ka prescription tha Sir” — God wrote the prescription.

The exchange gives a light-hearted frame to a cast promoting one of 2026’s most ambitious films. Sai Pallavi, who made her Hindi film debut earlier this year with Junaid Khan’s Ek Din, has earned recognition for Premam, Fidaa, Gargi, Amaran, Thandel and Shyam Singha Roy. Ranbir, meanwhile, returns to the big screen after Animal (2023), the biggest box-office success of his career with over Rs 900 crore worldwide.

Why the Diwali release matters

Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, arrives worldwide on November 5, days before Diwali. The cast has been travelling across Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai as part of the promotional campaign. Trade tracker Sacnilk expects the film to open at Rs 200 crore worldwide, a figure that would make it one of the year’s biggest spectacles.

• Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman.
• The KBC 18 special airs on October 29 and 30.
• Yash appears as Ravana; his other anticipated project, Toxic, reportedly fell short after its opening.
• The wider cast includes Sunny Deol, Vivek Oberoi, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta and Arun Govil.

What’s next for the franchise

The film is designed as a two-part saga. The second instalment was earlier announced for a Diwali 2027 release, though a Bollywood Hungama report suggests that timeline could shift. The makers have not issued an official statement on the reported change, so the immediate focus is whether part one can convert its pre-release buzz into a strong opening.

Source: The Times of India