$500M Ramayana movie heads to global theaters - India's answer to The Lord of the Rings?

Producer Namit Malhotra is mounting a two-part adaptation of Ramayana for global theaters with his Prime Focus Studios and the Oscar- winning visual-effects house DNEG, where he serves as CEO. DNEG’s teams have collected eight Academy Awards for films like Inception, Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049 and both Dune movies, and—per Reuters—this new saga carries a combined budget of up to $500 million. Sony Pictures is set to distribute the movie internationally, including an English-language version, while Dharma Productions will handle the Hindi release in northern India.

Part One opens worldwide November 5, 2026.

Music first, and it ’s massive

For the score, two giants are teaming up for the first time: Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman. Between them, they’ve won three Oscars —and they’ve already offered a first taste. On October 21, a five-track EP arrived as an early preview of the film ’s musical world.

• Jai Jai Ram — performed by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal
• Ravana Tandav
• Sita’s Aspiration
• Jai Jai Ram (Orchestral)
• Rama Theme — jointly credited to Zimmer and Rahman

The collaboration blends Sanskrit-inspired melodies with large-scale orchestral writing. It’s also under a microscope: with such a revered source, early songs have drawn intense scrutiny from listeners who grew up with the epic. Rahman has acknowledged the debate and said he’s focused on the creative process as the project moves forward.

Cast and director

• Ranbir Kapoor — Rama
• Sai Pallavi — Sita
• Yash — Ravana

Kannada star Yash has said he wants to explore Ravana’s humanity, emphasizing the character’s intellect and pride alongside his menace. Behind the camera is Nitesh Tiwari, whose 2016 drama Dangal (starring Aamir Khan) became India’s highest-grossing film worldwide, with lifetime earnings around ₹2,000 crore—roughly $300 million at historical exchange rates, according to major box-office trackers.

The story at a glance

Rooted in a Sanskrit epic attributed to Valmiki, the tale follows Ayodhya prince Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana through exile and into a war against the Lanka ruler Ravana after Sita’s abduction. The rescue turns on an alliance with Hanuman and an army of vanara (monkey warriors), leading to an operatic clash of divine weapons and duty. The epic’s living tradition spans festivals and stage performances; UNESCO recognizes Ramlila—the dramatic retelling of the Ramayana—as an element of intangible cultural heritage.

What to expect and when

Malhotra has cited touchstones like The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator, but the aim is to channel India’s own heroic tradition through modern filmmaking muscle. With DNEG on effects and Zimmer and Rahman on the score, the production is engineered for large-format spectacle and a worldwide audience. The second installment is planned for Diwali 2027 .