Aug 20, 2026 11:00am IST
Ramayana to Toxic : Indian films embracing the double role trend
The double role is one of Indian cinema’s oldest tricks. But in the next generation of big-budget spectacles, it's getting a considerably more ambitious makeover. The idea is no longer limited to mistaken identities, separated twins or the familiar hero-versus-villain setup. Today, filmmakers use multiple characters to move between timelines, generations, mythologies, and parallel strands of a story, while giving their biggest stars the opportunity to stretch beyond the persona audiences already know.
The result is a star-heavy crop of films in which one performer may have to carry two distinct physicalities, personalities and emotional journeys within the same narrative. Now as we gear up for "Ramayana," "Toxic" and reports indicate that even "Brahmastra 2" will have Ranbir Kapoor in a double role playing both Shiva and Dev, here are the films where the multiple-role factor is already generating major intrigue.
Allu Arjun — “Raaka”
Allu Arjun and Atlee’s “Raaka” is being built as a large-scale sci-fi action spectacle, and the secrecy surrounding Arjun’s character is part of the film’s larger mystery. Reports have indicated that the actor will appear in dual or multiple roles, although the filmmakers have not disclosed the complete character breakdown. The project also features Deepika Padukone and Rashmika Mandanna. With Atlee coming off the success of “Jawan” and Allu Arjun riding high on the “Pushpa” franchise, “Raaka” is already positioned as a major pan-Indian event. The multiple-role element adds another interesting aspect to the film.
Related Stories
Ranbir Kapoor — “Animal Park”
Ranbir Kapoor is set to become his own dangerous opponent in Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s “Animal Park.” Kapoor will return as Ranvijay Singh while also playing Aziz Haque, the character introduced in the closing moments of “Animal.” Kapoor’s two characters are not merely different identities in the same story, but opposing forces whose conflict is expected to drive the film. The sequel is expected to go on floors around mid-2027.
Ranbir Kapoor — “Ramayana”
Kapoor’s second major double-role assignment takes him from the contemporary world of “Animal Park” into one of India’s most revered epics. In Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana,” Kapoor plays Lord Rama and also appears as Lord Parashurama. Sai Pallavi plays Sita, while Yash portrays Ravana in the two-part epic. For Kapoor, the challenge is particularly striking: the two characters belong to the same mythological universe but carry dramatically different identities, energies and narrative functions.
Yash — “Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups”
Yash’s “Toxic” is taking the multiple-role route into a dark period gangster world. Geetu Mohandas’ film has Yash in more than one avatar, with the trailer further intensifying speculation around the relationship between the characters and the film’s father-son conflict. The film’s official material has established Yash as Raya, while the wider character details have remained deliberately guarded. Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria are also part of the ensemble.
Prabhas — “Fauzi”
Prabhas is stepping into the world of wartime history with Hanu Raghavapudi’s “Fauzi,” a period action drama centered on a soldier. Iman Esmail, Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty are among the film’s cast, while the story draws from a lesser-known chapter of Indian history. There have been reports claiming that Prabhas plays a double role, but unlike “Animal Park” or “Varanasi,” the two-character setup has not been confirmed by the filmmakers.
Prabhas — “Spirit”
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s “Spirit” puts Prabhas in the role of a police officer, with Triptii Dimri, Prakash Raj and Vivek Oberoi also attached to the action thriller. Reports suggest Prabhas could appear in a double role in the film. However, that detail has not been confirmed. What is certain is the scale of the collaboration: Prabhas and Vanga are coming together for an action film designed around a larger-than-life central character. Whether that character eventually becomes two remains one of the project’s unanswered questions.
Karthi — “Sardar 2”
Karthi is returning to a world he already knows intimately in “Sardar 2,” but the sequel gives him another opportunity to inhabit both sides of the franchise’s central identity. P.S. Mithran’s film brings back Karthi as the older intelligence operative Sardar and his son, Inspector Vijay Prakash, continuing the dual-role structure established by the first film. The sequel expands the spy universe with S.J. Suryah and a new ensemble around Karthi. Sardar belongs to one generation and Vijay to another, allowing the franchise to operate across timelines while keeping Karthi at its emotional center.
Popular on Variety
Mahesh Babu — “Varanasi”
In S.S. Rajamouli’s “Varanasi.” Mahesh Babu plays Rudhra, the film’s central adventurer, as well as Lord Rama. The film stars Priyanka Chopra as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha, and its narrative moves across different eras and continents. Rajamouli’s decision to place Babu in both a contemporary action-adventure role and the mythological figure of Rama gives the actor perhaps the most unusual challenge on this list. It also fits the director’s larger ambition for “Varanasi”: a globe-spanning spectacle that connects Indian mythology with an expansive adventure narrative.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.