Producer Namit Malhotra is gearing up to revolutionize Indian cinema with his upcoming magnum opus, Ramayana. The two-part epic stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and features a stellar ensemble including Yash, Amitabh Bachchan, Sai Pallavi, and Sunny Deol. What’s turning heads globally is its staggering budget—$500 million (approximately ₹4000 crore)—making it the most expensive Indian film ever made.
Malhotra, CEO of Prime Focus and the visual effects mastermind behind Hollywood blockbusters like Inception, Interstellar, and Dune, revealed in a conversation with Prakhar Gupta that the film is entirely self-funded. “We’re not taking anybody’s money," he emphasized. “People thought I was crazy when we started this six or seven years ago... No Indian film has reached this kind of scale.”
Driven by a childhood awe sparked by Jurassic Park, Malhotra has long dreamt of creating a film that showcases India’s cultural grandeur on a global stage. “We’re making the largest film in the world for the greatest story, the greatest epic,” he said. His vision stems from a desire to shift global perceptions of Indian cinema as limited to poverty or struggle. “That’s not who we are. That’s not the country I come from,” he added.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal, Chhichhore), Ramayana promises cutting-edge VFX, emotional depth, and mythological grandeur. Part 1 is set to release on Diwali 2026, and anticipation is sky-high. Sunny Deol will play Lord Hanuman with an impactful 15-minute high-octane appearance.
If Malhotra’s ambitious vision is realized, Ramayana could not only break box office records but also redefine how Indian epics are told—elevating Indian cinema to truly global heights.
