Back in July, Ranveer Singh took to social media to officially announce his next big project—an Aditya Dhar directorial. Coming off the success of 'Article 370' this year and following the massive legacy of the 2019 release 'Uri: The Surgical Strike', Aditya Dhar will be directing Ranveer alongside an ensemble cast featuring Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal.


Ranveer Singh to romance 19-year-old Sara Arjun?


When it comes to the female lead, there’s been some buzz, and one name seems to be confirmed—sparking a heated debate online. According to reports, Ranveer will be romancing Sara Arjun, who was last seen in both parts of the celebrated 'Ponniyin Selvan' films, playing the younger version of Nandini (portrayed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan).


While this could be a big break for Sara, the potential casting has raised concerns among many. The reason? Sara is only 19 years old. And while age gaps in cinema aren’t uncommon, the specific gap here has caused discomfort—Ranveer is 39, making the difference between him and Sara a significant 20 years. Unsurprisingly, the internet has reacted strongly, and not in a positive way.


 






Netizens slam Ranveer Singh amid reports of being cast opposite Sara Arjun


Many are criticizing the long-standing tradition in cinema of pairing significantly older actors with much younger actresses. One comment reads: "I don’t understand Indian film industry’s obsession with making their 50-year-old actors grope and touch teenage actresses sleazily. Repulsive."


Some users have outright rejected the film, which hasn’t even started production yet. Comments include: "Nope. Not watching. Line has to be drawn somewhere. They cast age-appropriate actors for a romantic story, or they can take their 'art' and shove it,"


"Bro, no way!! That's so yuckyyy ewww I've seen her as a child in 'Deivathirumagal' & even 'PS' now 😭😭," and "Eww, 39-year-old romancing a teenager!?? How did they think this was ok."


Other outraged responses to the casting include: "Okay, she’s a literal child, I’m gonna throw up now!! And I thought I’d seen everything with NTR Jr. and JK!!" "Don’t do such casting, man...when will they learn," and "They should stop doing this. It wasn’t ok 20 years ago, and it’s still not ok now."


Meanwhile, on the work front, Ranveer Singh will next be seen in Rohit Shetty's cop drama 'Singham Again' reprising his role as Simmba.


ALSO READ: Mukesh Khanna Says Ranveer Singh's Nude Photoshoot Started His 'Aversion Towards The Actor'