Actor Ranbir Kapoor has apologised after a verbal slip during a Dussehra celebration in Kolkata drew widespread attention on social media. The actor, who is preparing for the release of his upcoming film Ramayana, clarified his remarks at a promotional event in Chennai on October 21, saying he had not intended to suggest that truth and goodness would lose in the battle against evil.

Ranbir addressed the incident during the musical event and album launch for Ramayana, admitting that he had mixed up his words while speaking about the message of Dussehra. He also quoted a line from his 2011 film Rockstar to explain the mistake and express regret.

“I would like to take this opportunity to apologise about an incident that happened yesterday. I was at a Dussehra event and I had a slip of the tongue,” Ranbir told the audience.

He then explained what he had intended to say: “Burai chahe kitni bhi taaqatwar kyun na ho, aakhir mein jeet sachchai aur achhai ki hogi.” The statement means that no matter how powerful evil may be, truth and goodness will ultimately prevail.

The clarification followed a speech at a Dussehra event in Kolkata on October 20, where Ranbir spoke about the festival’s message and its connection with the story of Ramayana. During the address, he mistakenly said that goodness and honesty would perish in the end, reversing the meaning he was trying to convey.

The actor had intended to say that good would eventually triumph over evil. However, his use of the Hindi word “ant”, meaning “end”, instead of “jeet”, meaning “victory”, changed the meaning of the sentence and quickly caught the attention of viewers.

Clips of the speech circulated widely online, with social media users discussing the unusual wording. Some reacted with humour, while others criticised the actor for the mistake, particularly given that he is playing Lord Ram in the upcoming mythological film.

Ranbir did not dwell on the online reactions during his apology. Instead, he acknowledged the error and explained the intended message, making it clear that the statement was a verbal slip rather than a deliberate comment about the festival’s meaning.

To underline his point, the actor recalled his collaboration with music composer AR Rahman on Rockstar. He quoted a line from the film’s song, saying, “Jo bhi main kehna chahoon, barbaad karein alfaaz mere.”

The line roughly translates to the idea that the words one uses can ruin what one is trying to express. Ranbir used the reference in a self-deprecating way before reiterating his apology.

The incident took place during the Ramayana team’s visit to Kolkata for the Dussehra celebrations. Ranbir attended the event with co-star Yash, who plays Ravana in the film. The gathering was also attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Ranbir began his Kolkata address by greeting the audience with “Jai Shri Ram” and thanking those present for welcoming the film team. He spoke about the significance of Dussehra and encouraged people to spread love, choose happiness and follow the right path. It was the brief mix-up in his statement about good and evil that subsequently became the focus of online discussion.

The episode has brought additional attention to the film’s promotional campaign, which is taking the cast and creators to several cities ahead of its theatrical release. The Chennai event featured the film’s music and a presentation of its album, with Rahman’s involvement also highlighted by Ranbir.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Ravi Dubey plays Lakshman, while Sunny Deol appears as Hanuman. The film is planned as a two-part adaptation of the Indian epic, with the first instalment scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026.

The film has attracted considerable attention because of its scale, cast and retelling of one of India’s best-known epics. Ranbir’s role as Lord Ram has also placed his public appearances during the promotional campaign under closer scrutiny.

By addressing the mistake directly in Chennai, Ranbir sought to put the controversy into context and return attention to the film. His apology clarified the intended message of his Dussehra speech, while the Rockstar reference added a personal touch to his explanation.

The incident also serves as a reminder of how a brief verbal error during a public appearance can take on a life of its own once a video circulates online. For Ranbir, the clarification was an opportunity to correct the wording and reiterate the message he had meant to convey: that truth and goodness ultimately prevail over evil.