Telugu film adaptations of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have correctly portrayed Rama and Krishna as dark skinned (or dark blue), but many Hindi film/television adaptations have chosen to ignore the fact that "Krishna" and "Rama" literally mean "(pleasantly) dark"

**Although many aspects of the 2023 bilingual film '**[**Adipurush**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adipurush)**' were rightly criticized, the film got at least one thing right: the skin color of Rama, whose defining physical characteristics include dark skin. Telugu film adaptations of (episodes of) the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have correctly portrayed Rama and Krishna as dark-skinned or dark-blue.** (A dark-blue depiction of Rama and Krishna is also acceptable from a creative/artistic standpoint based on some figurative descriptions in the epics despite the fact that no healthy human has blue skin technically.) Other Telugu film adaptations of (episodes of) the Ramayana include '[Lava Kusa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_Kusa_(1963_film))' (1963), '[Sampoorna Ramayanam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampoorna_Ramayanam_(1971_film))' (1971), '[Sita Kalyanam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sita_Kalyanam_(1976_film))' (1976), and '[Sri Rama Rajyam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Rama_Rajyam)' (2011), among others. Telugu film adaptations of (episodes of) the Mahabharata include '[Mayabazar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayabazar)' (1957), '[Daana Veera Soora Karna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daana_Veera_Soora_Karna)' (1977), '[Sri Krishnarjuna Vijayam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Krishnarjuna_Vijayam)' (1996), and '[Kalki 2898 AD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalki_2898_AD)' (2024), among others. All of these Telugu film adaptations get the skin color of Rama and Krishna right (based on either a literal interpretation or a figurative interpretation of the descriptions in the original epics). **'**[**Adipurush**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adipurush)**' and '**[**Kalki 2898 AD**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalki_2898_AD)**' deserve special appreciation for casting dark-skinned actors as Rama and Krishna, respectively.** **In contrast, Hindi film/television adaptations of the epics**, such as '[Sampoorna Ramayana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampoorna_Ramayana)' (1961 film), '[Mahabharat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharat_(1965_film))' (1965 film), '[Ramayan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayan_(1987_TV_series))' (1987 TV series) and '[Ramayan: Sabke Jeevan Ka Aadhar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayan_(2012_TV_series))' (2012 TV series), '[Mahabharat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharat_(1988_TV_series))' (1988 TV series), and '[Mahabharat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharat_(2013_TV_series))' (2013 TV series), **have consistently chosen to completely ignore one of the defining physical characteristics of Rama and Krishna.** It looks like Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming '[Ramayana](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27988879/)' film series also plans to completely ignore that Rama was dark-skinned (as indicated by Tiwari's choice to cast Ranbir Kapoor as Rama). **Perhaps the Hindi filmmakers should reflect on their implicit bias and learn a thing or two about Rama and Krishna from Telugu films!**