India's Rs 4,000-crore Ramayana goes global: Visionary leap or risky bet?

The first glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram in Ramayana has finally dropped, and with it comes a familiar mix of awe and anxiety that often accompanies ambitious epic retelling.

Unveiled first at an IMAX screening in Los Angeles before its India debut, the Rama teaser, devoid of any dialogue, leans heavily on visual spectacle and a larger-than-life aesthetic. While many have praised the look and tone, others remain cautiously optimistic, waiting to see if the performances can match the scale.

Seven years in the making

For director Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal, Chichhore fame) Ramayana has been a long time coming. The filmmaker has spent over seven years developing the project, he said briefly while addressing fans in Mumbai. Tiwari spent a lot of time focusing on research, scripting, and building a visual world that can do justice to the epic.

This extended gestation involved multiple script drafts, cultural consultations, and extensive pre-visualisation to map out action, emotion, and scale. Backed by producer Namit Malhotra, the film’s VFX pipeline was designed years in advance, suggesting a rare, almost Hollywood-style development cycle in Hindi cinema.

Everything we know so far: Scale, story and strategy

• Two-part saga: Planned as a duology, with releases expected a year apart.
• Budget: A staggering 4000 crore, placing it among the most expensive films ever made in India.
• Format: Shot and designed for IMAX, with a strong emphasis on immersive viewing.

Production status:

• Part 1: Filming complete, currently in VFX-heavy post-production.
• Part 2: Already on floors, indicating a tightly controlled production timeline.
• Music: A global collaboration between A. R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
• Action and scale: International stunt teams and large-scale set pieces planned to match global fantasy franchises.
• Global rollout: Strategic push in Los Angeles and beyond to position Ramayana as a worldwide cinematic event.

The cast

The makers have assembled a sprawling ensemble, blending mainstream stars with character-driven casting:

• Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram
• Sai Pallavi as Sita
• Yash as Ravana
• Sunny Deol as Hanuman
• Ravi Dubey as Lakshman
• Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi
• Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha
• Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari
• Arun Govil (iconically known for Ram on television) as King Dashrath
• Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara
• Indira Krishnan as Kausalaya

A glimpse strategy: Testing sentiment in real time

The staggered release of “glimpses” is not just promotional, it’s tactical. With the Ramayana carrying deep emotional and religious significance, these visuals act as live sentiment checks. The makers are closely monitoring how people are reacting to the assets shared, while also being vigilant about avoiding leaks and maintaining narrative control.

The global push and the big question

At the heart of Ramayana lies a bold ambition: to position an Indian epic as a global cinematic spectacle. The Los Angeles-first unveiling is proof of that intent.

But this is where the conversation gets interesting. Recent Indian blockbusters like RRR and KGF: Chapter 1 (and its sequel) were also global successes but, crucially, they were rooted stories that first resonated deeply with Indian audiences before crossing over internationally. Even newer releases like Dhurandhar have followed a similar path—building domestic credibility before expanding outward.

In contrast, Ramayana appears to be taking the reverse route, pitching itself to a global audience from the outset, with a strong Western-facing rollout strategy. That inversion raises a key question: Can a story as culturally specific as the Ramayana travel outward effectively if it doesn’t first anchor itself firmly at home?

Ranbir Kapoor and the weight of Ram

At the centre of it all is Ranbir Kapoor, who had initially hesitated to take on the role, aware of the responsibility it carries. It was ultimately Nitesh Tiwari’s long-developed vision that convinced him, he revealed during a Q and A at the screening in LA. In Mumbai, however, the team did not take any questions from the media.

For now, one can reiterate that Ramayana is not just a film, it is a high-stakes cultural project, blending mythology, technology, and global ambition. The first glimpse has set expectations, but the real test lies ahead: whether the film can stay true to its roots while speaking to the world.

Because with Ramayana, the stakes are not just cinematic, they’re cultural. The film is set for a theatrical release in Diwali 2026.