Actor Dev Sharma, who recently portrayed Lord Ram in Shri Ramayan Katha, has recalled an incident from Nainital during celebrations surrounding the construction and inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, describing it as a deeply moving example of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Recalling the experience, Dev said he was shooting near the Naina Devi temple in Nainital when reports of tensions and riots from different parts of the country were circulating.
He said a Ram yatra had begun from the Naina Devi temple and passed close to a mosque. According to Dev, people around him had expressed apprehension about the situation and advised him to avoid the area.
“The Ram ji yatra had started from the Naina Devi temple, with people saying, ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ The mosque was right there, and there were gates on both sides. The whole mosque was full because their prayers had just ended. Everyone felt that something was going to happen because the whole crowd had gathered there,” he recalled.
Dev said the situation unfolded differently from what many had anticipated. He claimed that Muslims who had gathered at the mosque came out and joined the celebrations.
“You won’t believe it. I would like to tell all the audience of India, all the viewers, all the people: every Muslim, whether he was wearing a cap or not, came out and danced to the song of Lalla Shri Ram,” he said.
He said the scene left him deeply moved.
“And they danced in such a way that we were amazed by how happy they were. We were wondering, ‘What is happening?’ So maybe this is the work of Modi ji, that he has brought everyone together. And when I saw this, I was shaken,” Dev said.
He added that he still gets “goosebumps” when recalling the incident and said religious identities should not become a barrier between people.
“Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, these identities are created by humans. God is the same for everyone,” he said.
Dev added that he found the way people from different communities responded during the celebrations “commendable”.
The actor was recently seen as Lord Ram in Shri Ramayan Katha. While his portrayal and screen presence received positive responses from some viewers, the film also faced criticism from sections of the audience over its treatment of the source material, including questions about historical and mythological accuracy, storytelling and deviations from established accounts.
Directed by Abhishek Singh, the film also stars Anjali Arora, Sheela Verma and Rajneesh Duggal.