Actress Poonam Pandey has been dropped from the cast of a Ramleela event in Delhi following opposition from several groups.

Pandey was set to play the role of Mandodari, wife of Ravana, in this year’s Ramleela organised by Luv Kush Ramleela Committee

Speaking at a press conference at the Constitutional Club of India on Tuesday, committee president Arjun Kumar said, “An artist should be judged by their work and not their past; the decision was reviewed in light of public sentiment.”

“Every woman has a role to play in society and should not be humiliated. Initially, we believed Poonam Pandey could positively portray Mandodari. But considering the uproar among certain sections, we had to reconsider,” he added.

Kumar said the committee respects Pandey as an artist but another actor will now play the role. “Our objective is to spread the message of Lord Ram and harmony in society. We do not want any controversy to overshadow the event,” he said, according to news agency PTI.

In a letter addressed to Pandey, the committee said the decision should not be seen as disrespect towards her but as a step to uphold the ideals of Lord Ram.

The Luv Kush Ramleela, one of the most prominent in the capital, draws thousands of visitors each year and has previously featured many film and television actors.

The Delhi BJP welcomed the move. Party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “The Luv Kush Ramleela Committee has shown respect for the sentiments of the religious community and general public”.

Kapoor, who had written to Kumar last week requesting that Pandey not be given the role, added, “By removing Poonam Pandey from the role of Mandodari, the committee has respected the religious sentiments of both the spiritual community and the general public”.