Producer Namit Malhotra reacts to India vs US launch debate after Ramayana reveal
Ramayana director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra opened up about the film's global rollout and cultural sensitivity. They also confirmed Ranbir Kapoor was always the first choice for Lord Rama.
With the first glimpse of Ramayana now out, introducing Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and hinting at the film’s visual scale, the makers have begun opening up about the project. In a post-launch interaction, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra spoke about the film’s current status, its international rollout, and the challenges of adapting a story so deeply rooted in public sentiment.
Addressing the possibility of a large-scale event in India, Tiwari said, “I’ll pass on the message (to the producer),” while explaining why the team chose to begin their outreach internationally. “For India, you need a special occasion,” he added.
On adapting a culturally sensitive epic
Speaking about the weight of adapting Ramayana, Tiwari acknowledged the emotional and cultural sensitivity surrounding the subject. “You understand the sensitivity and attachment (for Ramayana), you keep those things in mind. We’ve taken care in portraying Lord Rama. It's very authentic is what I feel,” he said.
He also confirmed that Kapoor was always the first choice for the role, stating simply, “Yes.”
Global ambition and international rollout
Producer Namit Malhotra, meanwhile, emphasised the film’s global ambition and pushed back against the idea of limiting Ramayana to a domestic audience.
“There are Indians all over the world. We should not be divisive; that’s where we go wrong on Ramayana. There’s no division, it’s one world, one Ramayana and one Rama. The idea is to show it to the entire world. How do we bring awareness? Every Indian knows it (about Ramayana),” he said.
Responding to whether international audiences are unfamiliar with the epic, Malhotra added, “I want to make sure that everybody should know about Ramayana. It’s harder for us in the middle of the shoot to stop work and go and meet people and spread awareness; we are not selling tickets.”
He further underlined the larger goal of positioning Indian cinema globally. “We want to take Ramayana to the world. In 100-plus years of films, we’ve never made a mark in the West. We make 1000 plus films a year; they may see and respect our films. It’s not that our films are any less; we make outstanding films,” he said.
On audience expectations
When asked again about hosting an India event, Malhotra reiterated his stance against drawing comparisons. “Don’t divide. This is not the time to be divisive. The Indian in the America are thanking and appreciating (us for having an event in the US), you need to understand the emotion of the Indian people over there,” he said.
He also addressed the absence of a Hanuman reveal on Hanuman Jayanti, urging patience from audiences. “We will show you the entire Ramayana if it was ready. People told us on Ram Navami that we should do it (unveil the look of Ramayana). We never announced that we are coming on Ram Navami. I respect your sentiment. Keep some patience, we will bring out (other things too),” he said.
Post-production on the first instalment is currently underway, and the second part is already being shot. The first part is all set to release this Diwali. Ramayana is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious Indian film projects in recent times, both in scale and intent.