Cast of Ambikapathy: Actors, Characters, Cast & Crew, Story, Box Office and More

Ambikapathy is the Tamil version of the 2013 romantic drama Raanjhanaa. The film was directed by Aanand L. Rai and features Dhanush, Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Swara Bhasker and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in important roles.

The story follows Kundan Shankar, a young man from Varanasi who falls deeply in love with Zoya. His feelings continue to affect his life even after Zoya chooses a different path.

The film combines romance, friendship, emotional drama and political themes. It also became an important project in Dhanush’s career because Raanjhanaa marked his major Hindi-film debut.

The Tamil version, titled Ambikapathy, was released on 28 June 2013, one week after the original Hindi release.

This article covers the complete Ambikapathy cast, character details, supporting cast, cast and crew, Ambikapathy 2, story, release date, box office, OTT, music and many more.

Ambikapathy Movie Overview

Details	Information
Movie Name	Ambikapathy
Original Hindi Title	Raanjhanaa
Release Year	2013
Tamil Release Date	28 June 2013
Hindi Release Date	21 June 2013
Genre	Romance, Drama
Director	Aanand L. Rai
Writer	Himanshu Sharma
Lead Actor	Dhanush
Female Lead	Sonam Kapoor
Producer	Krishika Lulla
Production House	Colour Yellow Productions
Music	A. R. Rahman
Cinematography	Natarajan Subramaniam, Vishal Sinha
Editing	Hemal Kothari
Runtime	Around 140–146 minutes

What Is Ambikapathy About?

Ambikapathy follows Kundan Shankar, a young man from Varanasi who falls in love with Zoya during his childhood.

Kundan’s feelings become stronger as he grows older. However, Zoya eventually develops a relationship with Akram, creating a complicated love triangle.

The story later moves from Varanasi to Delhi and introduces student politics, friendship, ambition and emotional conflict.

The major themes of the film include:

• First love
• Unrequited love
• Childhood friendship
• Romance
• Family expectations
• Religious differences
• Political activism
• Friendship
• Sacrifice
• Betrayal
• Emotional obsession
• Personal choices

Full Cast Of Ambikapathy

The movie has a strong ensemble cast led by Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor.

Actor Name	Character	Role	Photos
Dhanush	Kundan Shankar	Lead Character
Sonam Kapoor	Zoya Haider	Female Lead
Abhay Deol	Akram Zaidi / Jasjeet Singh Shergill	Major Character
Swara Bhasker	Bindiya Tripathi	Major Supporting Role
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub	Murari Gupta	Supporting Role
Kumud Mishra	Inzamaam Qalab-E-Haider	Supporting Role
Deepika Amin	Zoya’s Mother	Supporting Role
Vipin Sharma	Kundan’s Father	Supporting Role
Shilpi Marwaha	Rashmi	Supporting Role
Suraj Singh	Anand	Supporting Role
Naman Jain	Young Kundan	Childhood Role
Saniya Anklesaria	Young Zoya	Childhood Role
Sujata Kumar	Chief Minister	Supporting Role
Arvind Gaur	Guptaji	Supporting Role
Ishwak Singh	Doctor from Lucknow	Supporting Role
Tejpal Singh	Jasjeet’s Father	Supporting Role
Payal Bhojwani	Young Bindiya	Childhood Role
Ginny Singh	JNU Activist	Supporting Role
Mannveer Choudharry	JNU Activist	Supporting Role

Main Cast Of Ambikapathy

Dhanush as Kundan Shankar

Dhanush plays Kundan Shankar, the central protagonist of Ambikapathy.

Kundan grows up in Varanasi and develops strong feelings for Zoya during childhood. His love becomes one of the biggest influences on his life.

He is emotional, impulsive and determined. Even when Zoya chooses another person, Kundan finds it difficult to move on.

His character changes considerably as the story progresses. He begins as a young and carefree person before becoming involved in complicated emotional and political circumstances.

Dhanush’s performance is one of the major highlights of the film.

Sonam Kapoor as Zoya Haider

Sonam Kapoor plays Zoya Haider, the female lead.

Zoya is the child love of Kundan’s life, but as she grows up, her association with Kundan becomes complicated. She falls in love with Akram, which becomes the main problem in the life of Kundan.

She is an educated, ambitious and independent girl. She is also associated with the politics of students along with Delhi in the novel.

Abhay Deol as Akram Zaidi / Jasjeet Singh Shergill

Abhay Deol portrays Akram Zaidi, who is later connected with the identity Jasjeet Singh Shergill.

Akram falls in love with Zoya and thus becomes a significant character in the development of Kundan’s emotions. Akram is much more politically aware and mature than Kundan, who forms a sharp contrast to Akram.

Ultimately, his involvement with Zoya gets entangled with the politics of the film.

Swara Bhasker as Bindiya Tripathi

Swara Bhasker plays Bindiya Tripathi. Bindiya is in proximity to Kundan, and she develops very strong feelings for him.

Although Kundan keeps his attention on Zoya, the feelings that Bindia has adds one more emotion in the story. She is an outspoken and expressive woman who is full of energy. This is yet another form of unrequited love in the movie.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Murari Gupta

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays Murari Gupta, Kundan’s close friend. Murari continues to be one of the closest friends of Kundan during the film. Murari helps by providing companionship and comic relief.

The character of Murari is important for maintaining balance in the film’s romantic and political sections.

Supporting Cast Of Ambikapathy

Amongst them are family members, childhood figures, political personalities, and many others who form part of the narrative that involves Kundan and Zoya.

Actor Name	Character Name	Role Type
Kumud Mishra	Inzamaam Qalab-E-Haider	Important Supporting Role
Deepika Amin	Zoya’s Mother	Family Character
Vipin Sharma	Kundan’s Father	Family Character
Shilpi Marwaha	Rashmi	Supporting Character
Suraj Singh	Anand	Supporting Character
Naman Jain	Young Kundan	Childhood Character
Saniya Anklesaria	Young Zoya	Childhood Character
Sujata Kumar	Chief Minister	Political Character
Arvind Gaur	Guptaji	Supporting Character
Ishwak Singh	Doctor from Lucknow	Supporting Character
Tejpal Singh	Jasjeet’s Father	Family Character
Payal Bhojwani	Young Bindiya	Childhood Character
Ginny Singh	JNU Activist	Political Supporting Character
Mannveer Choudharry	JNU Activist	Political Supporting Character

Supporting Cast Character Details

Kumud Mishra as Inzamaam Qalab-E-Haider

Kumud Mishra plays Inzamaam Qalab-E-Haider, an important supporting character connected to Zoya’s family. His character plays an important role in determining the family and social milieu that surrounds Zoya. Also, he plays a part in creating the conflict between Kundan and Zoya.

Deepika Amin as Zoya’s Mother

Deepika Amin portrays Zoya’s Mother. She belongs to the family of Zoya and adds to the household element of the story.

This character plays an important role in developing the background in which Zoya is brought up.

Vipin Sharma as Kundan’s Father

Vipin Sharma plays Kundan’s Father. The character embodies the background of Kundan and his traditional environment in Varanasi.

He assists in creating the environment from where Kundan’s upbringing is formed.

Shilpi Marwaha as Rashmi

Shilpi Marwaha appears as Rashmi. Rashmi is a supporting character who contributes to the wider social environment surrounding the central characters.

Suraj Singh as Anand

Suraj Singh plays Anand. Anand is part of the supporting ensemble and becomes connected to the wider storyline.

Naman Jain as Young Kundan

Naman Jain plays Young Kundan. His role is important because the childhood scenes establish Kundan’s early relationship with Zoya.

These scenes show how their friendship develops before the main romantic storyline begins.

Saniya Anklesaria as Young Zoya

Saniya Anklesaria plays Young Zoya. She appears during Zoya’s childhood and helps establish the early bond between Zoya and Kundan.

Sujata Kumar as Chief Minister

Sujata Kumar portrays the Chief Minister. Her character represents the political side of the film and becomes relevant as the story expands into politics.

Arvind Gaur as Guptaji

Arvind Gaur appears as Guptaji.

Guptaji is part of the supporting ensemble and contributes to the social environment of the story.

Ishwak Singh as Doctor from Lucknow

Ishwak Singh appears as the Doctor from Lucknow.

His character is connected with the later events of the story and has a supporting role.

Tejpal Singh as Jasjeet’s Father

Tejpal Singh plays Jasjeet Singh Shergill’s Father. His character provides additional background to Akram’s identity and family.

Payal Bhojwani as Young Bindiya

Payal Bhojwani plays Young Bindiya. Her appearance helps establish Bindiya’s connection with Kundan from an earlier stage of their lives.

Ambikapathy Cast And Character Details

The following table gives a quick overview of the principal and supporting characters in Ambikapathy.

Actor	Character	Character Importance
Dhanush	Kundan Shankar	Main Protagonist
Sonam Kapoor	Zoya Haider	Female Lead
Abhay Deol	Akram Zaidi / Jasjeet Singh Shergill	Major Character
Swara Bhasker	Bindiya Tripathi	Major Supporting Character
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub	Murari Gupta	Close Friend
Kumud Mishra	Inzamaam Qalab-E-Haider	Important Supporting Character
Deepika Amin	Zoya’s Mother	Family Character
Vipin Sharma	Kundan’s Father	Family Character
Shilpi Marwaha	Rashmi	Supporting Character
Suraj Singh	Anand	Supporting Character
Naman Jain	Young Kundan	Childhood Character
Saniya Anklesaria	Young Zoya	Childhood Character
Sujata Kumar	Chief Minister	Political Character
Arvind Gaur	Guptaji	Supporting Character
Ishwak Singh	Doctor from Lucknow	Supporting Character
Tejpal Singh	Jasjeet’s Father	Family Character
Payal Bhojwani	Young Bindiya	Childhood Character
Ginny Singh	JNU Activist	Political Supporting Character
Mannveer Choudharry	JNU Activist	Political Supporting Character

Ambikapathy Cast And Crew

Ambikapathy was made by a team of experienced filmmakers, with Aanand L. Rai directing, Himanshu Sharma handling the screenplay and A. R. Rahman composing the music.

Crew Member	Department
Aanand L. Rai	Director
Himanshu Sharma	Writer
Krishika Lulla	Producer
A. R. Rahman	Music Composer
Natarajan Subramaniam	Cinematography
Vishal Sinha	Cinematography
Hemal Kothari	Editing
John Mahendran	Tamil Dialogue Writer
Wasiq Khan	Production Design
Irshad Kamil	Lyricist
Sanjay Mehta	Executive Producer
Yogesh Tevatia	Executive Producer

Who Directed Ambikapathy?

Ambikapathy was directed by Aanand L. Rai.

The original version of this film was the Hindi film Raanjhanaa. The director of the film was Aanand L. Rai, while the screenplay writer was Himanshu Sharma.

Romance, humor, drama, and politics were used together to generate a story which is not a typical love triangle tale.

Ambikapathy Production Details

Production Department	Details
Director	Aanand L. Rai
Writer	Himanshu Sharma
Tamil Dialogue Writer	John Mahendran
Producer	Krishika Lulla
Production House	Colour Yellow Productions
Distributor	Eros International
Music	A. R. Rahman
Cinematography	Natarajan Subramaniam, Vishal Sinha
Editing	Hemal Kothari
Production Design	Wasiq Khan
Lyrics	Irshad Kamil
Original Film	Raanjhanaa
Tamil Version	Ambikapathy

Ambikapathy 2: Is There a Sequel?

There is no officially released film titled Ambikapathy 2.

The term ‘Cast of Ambikapathy 2’ is commonly linked to Tere Ishk Mein, which is another romantic film produced by the same production house at a much later time.

Tere Ishk Mein can be viewed as a spiritual sequel to Raanjhanaa and not a sequel in its strictest sense.

This movie stars Dhanush and Kriti Sanon in different characters. Hence, Tere Ishk Mein cannot be considered to continue Kundan and Zoya’s story directly.

Cast Of Ambikapathy 2 / Tere Ishk Mein

Actor	Character	Role
Dhanush	Shankar	Lead Character
Kriti Sanon	Mukti	Female Lead
Priyanshu Painyuli	Supporting Character	Supporting Role
Prakash Raj	Supporting Character	Supporting Role
Tisca Chopra	Supporting Character	Supporting Role

Dhanush as Shankar

Dhanush returns in Tere Ishk Mein as Shankar.

Shankar is an entirely new character and should never be mistaken for Kundan of Ambikapathy. His tale tells a lot about passionate love and conflict.

The arrival of Dhanush ties the two films together in a compelling manner, despite their differences.

Kriti Sanon as Mukti

Kriti Sanon plays Mukti, the female lead. Mukti possesses her own personality and aspirations. The love affair of Mukti with Shankar becomes the focal romantic drama of the movie. Unlike Zoya, Mukti is a completely new character and part of a different plot line.

Story Of Ambikapathy 2 / Tere Ishk Mein

Tere Ishk Mein tells a new romantic story involving Shankar and Mukti.

The emotional complexity of their bond increases as they face issues related to their personal choices and emotions.

Like Raanjhanaa, this movie also deals with many themes including passionate love and conflicts related to emotions.

But this movie involves different characters and situations.

Why Is Tere Ishk Mein Connected To Ambikapathy?

The connection between the two movies comes from their creative similarities and shared filmmaking team.

The important connections include:

• Dhanush as the male lead
• Aanand L. Rai as director
• Himanshu Sharma’s writing involvement
• A. R. Rahman’s music
• Intense romantic themes
• Emotional relationship conflicts
• Similar storytelling sensibilities

However, Shankar is not Kundan, and Mukti is not Zoya.

Therefore, Tere Ishk Mein is better described as a spiritual sequel rather than Ambikapathy 2.

Story And Plot Summary Of Ambikapathy

The movie opens up in Varanasi, where Kundan gets attracted towards Zoya during his childhood days. The sentiments persist even as they grow up.

Later, Zoya gets engaged in a relationship with Akram, which makes things tough for Kundan. Kundan finds it difficult to adjust with the new environment but he is still emotionally connected to Zoya.

The story eventually broadens up into politics of students. Thus, the movie grows up from a love story of childhood into a big story of love, ambition, politics and sacrifice.

Why Is Ambikapathy So Unique?

Ambikapathy stands out because it combines romance with social and political themes.

• Dhanush’s Hindi Debut: The original film marked Dhanush’s first foray into Hindi movies.
• Tamil Release: The film was released as Ambikapathy for Tamil viewers.
• Setting of Varanasi: Varanasi is the emotional basis of the film.
• Unrequited Love: Kundan’s emotions are responsible for much of the plot.
• Feminine Role: Zoya is someone who has her own aspirations.
• Bindiya’s Emotional Path: Bindiya is yet another angle on unrequited love.
• Politics of Students: The plot progresses further into student politics.
• A. R. Rahman’s Score: The music in the film became one of its most distinguishing features.
• Supporting Cast: The supporting actors help lend an emotional edge to the film.

Ambikapathy Release Date

The original Hindi movie Raanjhanaa was released on 21 June 2013. The Tamil version Ambikapathy was released on 28 June 2013.

Release Information	Details
Original Film	Raanjhanaa
Tamil Title	Ambikapathy
Hindi Release	21 June 2013
Tamil Release	28 June 2013
Original Language	Hindi
Tamil Version	Tamil Dubbed
Genre	Romance, Drama
Director	Aanand L. Rai

Ambikapathy Box Office Collection

The box office numbers are normally published under its original name of Raanjhanaa, and not as separate numbers for the Tamil version dubbed.

It was a commercially successful film and became a romantic hit.

Box Office Breakdown Of Ambikapathy

Box Office Category	Reported Figure
Original Release	21 June 2013
Tamil Release	28 June 2013
Reported Budget	Around ₹36 crore
India Net	Around ₹61–62 crore
India Gross	Around ₹83 crore
Overseas Gross	Around ₹10 crore
Worldwide Gross	Around ₹94 crore
Box Office Verdict	Hit
Theatrical Status	Successful

Different trade trackers have reported slightly different lifetime figures, so the worldwide total may vary depending on the source.

Ambikapathy Box Office Verdict

Raanjhanaa, the original film behind Ambikapathy, was commercially successful. Its reported worldwide earnings were considerably higher than its production budget.

The film is remembered as one of the successful romantic dramas of 2013.

Ambikapathy OTT Release

Ambikapathy has been available on digital platforms depending on region and licensing. The Tamil version has been associated with digital catalogues such as Eros Now.

OTT Information	Details
Movie	Ambikapathy
Original Film	Raanjhanaa
Digital Platform	Eros Now
Original Release	2013
Language	Tamil
Genre	Romance, Drama
Availability	May vary by region

Ambikapathy Music

The music for Ambikapathy comes from the original Raanjhanaa soundtrack, composed by A. R. Rahman.

The soundtrack became a major attraction of the film.

Some of the well-known songs associated with the movie include:

• Tum Tak
• Raanjhanaa
• Banarasiya
• Tu Mun Shudi
• Aise Na Dekho
• Piya Milenge

The music combines Indian folk influences with contemporary arrangements and emotional melodies.

Ambikapathy And Dhanush’s Career

Ambikapathy is an important film in Dhanush’s career.

The original Raanjhanaa marked his major Hindi-film debut and introduced him to a wider national audience.

His portrayal of Kundan received significant attention because the role required him to balance youthful innocence, romance, humour and emotional intensity.

The film helped establish Dhanush as an actor capable of working successfully across language industries.

Interesting Facts About Ambikapathy Cast

• Dhanush plays Kundan Shankar, the protagonist.
• Sonam Kapoor plays Zoya Haider, the female lead.
• Abhay Deol plays Akram Zaidi/Jasjeet Singh Shergill.
• Swara Bhasker plays Bindiya Tripathi.
• Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays Murari Gupta.
• The original Hindi film is titled Raanjhanaa.
• The Tamil version is titled Ambikapathy.
• Aanand L. Rai directed the film.
• Himanshu Sharma wrote the screenplay.
• A. R. Rahman composed the music.
• Naman Jain plays Young Kundan.
• Saniya Anklesaria plays Young Zoya.
• Payal Bhojwani plays Young Bindiya.
• Raanjhanaa was released in 2013.
• Ambikapathy was released one week after the Hindi version.
• Tere Ishk Mein is connected to Raanjhanaa as a spiritual sequel.
• Dhanush plays a new character named Shankar in Tere Ishk Mein.
• Kriti Sanon plays Mukti in Tere Ishk Mein.
• Tere Ishk Mein is not a direct continuation of Kundan and Zoya’s story.
• Both films explore intense romantic relationships and emotional conflict.

Latest Ambikapathy Update 2026

As of 2026, there is no officially titled movie called Ambikapathy 2.

The major film connected to the original Raanjhanaa is Tere Ishk Mein.

It brings back Dhanush and Aanand L. Rai but introduces new characters and a separate story.

Dhanush plays Shankar, while Kriti Sanon plays Mukti.

Therefore, readers searching for Ambikapathy 2 cast should understand that Tere Ishk Mein is the relevant spiritual sequel, not a direct Ambikapathy sequel.

The original Ambikapathy remains notable for Dhanush’s performance, Sonam Kapoor’s role as Zoya, Swara Bhasker’s Bindiya, A. R. Rahman’s music and its emotional storyline.

Conclusion

The cast of Ambikapathy features a strong combination of leading actors and supporting performers.

Dhanush plays Kundan Shankar, while Sonam Kapoor portrays Zoya Haider. Abhay Deol plays Akram Zaidi/Jasjeet Singh Shergill, Swara Bhasker portrays Bindiya Tripathi, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays Kundan’s close friend Murari.

The supporting cast includes Kumud Mishra, Deepika Amin, Vipin Sharma, Shilpi Marwaha, Suraj Singh, Naman Jain, Saniya Anklesaria, Sujata Kumar, Arvind Gaur, Ishwak Singh, Tejpal Singh, Payal Bhojwani and other performers.

Directed by Aanand L. Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma, the film combines romance, friendship, politics and emotional drama.

The original Raanjhanaa was released on 21 June 2013, followed by the Tamil version Ambikapathy on 28 June 2013.

There is currently no official movie titled Ambikapathy 2. Tere Ishk Mein is connected to Raanjhanaa as a spiritual sequel and features Dhanush and Kriti Sanon in completely new roles.

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