New Delhi: Actor Anupam Kher has ended all speculation over his role in Shri Ram Bhoomi, the upcoming film based on Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. The 71-year-old actor, who started shooting for the film on Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh, revealed on X that he will portray the character of Ashok Singhal, the former president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the chief architect of the Ram Mandir movement.
Kher, in his tweet, said that Singhal was the one of the key people who shaped the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
“He was not just a leader, but a devoted servant of Lord Shri Ram. His faith, his sensitivity, and his unshakeable belief infused this movement with new energy,” Kher tweeted.
He shared photos in make up and costume and said as the pictures are already out in the media, he would share an update on his role.
अब जबकि मेरे द्वारा निभाए जा रहे किरदार की कुछ तस्वीरें मीडिया में आ चुकी हैं, तो मुझे लगा कि आप सबको मैं ख़ुद ही बता दूँ कि मैं किस भूमिका में नज़र आने वाला हूँ।🙏🕉
फ़िल्म ‘ श्री रामभूमि’ में मैं श्री अशोक सिंघल जी की भूमिका निभा रहा हूँ!! एक ऐसे व्यक्तित्व, जिन्होंने श्रीराम… pic.twitter.com/We9i6qj32g
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) July 10, 2026
Also read: Anupam Kher to star in new film on Ram Mandir, visits Ayodhya for shoot
Who is Ashok Singhal?
Ashok Singhal joined the VHP in 1980 and held several roles until becoming president in the late 1980’s, a position he held till 2011.
Before joining the VHP, he completed his bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT, BHU. While pursuing his degree, he also began training under Pandit Omkarnath Thakur to become a trained Hindustani vocalist.
He started his career in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after completing his training as a pracharak. He was posted in different districts of Uttar Pradesh. By 1980, he became Prant Pracharak and was later deputed to the VHP.
Singhal was one of the first organisers of the VHP’s Dharma Sansad in 1984, held at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. The Ram Janmabhoomi movement is widely credited to have taken shape at the event.
Singhal also went on a fast unto death demanding the construction of the temple and was later “force-fed” on the orders of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He died in 2015.
The same year, then Home Minister Rajnath Singh officially launched the book ‘Hindutva ke Purodha’, written by Mahesh Bhagchandaka detailing Singhal’s contribution to the party.
Shri Ram Bhoomi is directed by Kamakhaya Narayan Singh, who has previously helmed The Kerala Story 2 (2026) and Bhor (2018). The film also stars Ritwik Bhowmik and Amruta Khanvilkar.
(Edited by Stela Dey)