Indian epic 'Ramayana' lands at Sony with $500 million budget, stars debut footage at Comic-Con

The Comic-Con reveal

Indian stars Ranbir Kapoor and Yash arrived at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday to promote "Ramayana," a two-part film adaptation of the ancient Hindu epic. Kapoor, who plays Prince Rama, described the appearance as a proud moment for the team. "I've always been a fan of comic conventions," Kapoor told Reuters. "To finally be here on the other side with a story, which is so ingrained in our culture, to bring that to a larger audience, it's really a proud moment for our entire team."

Yash, who portrays the demon king Ravana, said the convention's crowd was the ideal audience for the project. "I think this is the right kind of crowd who really understand the nuances of this kind of film and the effort that goes behind it," he said. "If they're excited, they're the most important people."

Sony lands global rights

The event also brought news that Sony Pictures will distribute the film worldwide outside of India. Prime Focus Studios, founded by DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra, will handle the Indian release. The film has been conceived for international audiences from the start and will be released in multiple languages, including a premium English-language version.

For generations, the Ramayana has inspired people through its timeless humanity and enduring values. Our ambition has always been to honor that legacy while creating a cinematic experience worthy of audiences everywhere.

Scale and pedigree

The production carries a reported budget of about $500 million, placing it among the most expensive films ever made. Malhotra's visual effects house DNEG brings significant pedigree: the company has won eight Oscars for VFX work on films including the "Dune" franchise, "Interstellar," "First Man," "Blade Runner 2049," and "Ex Machina." It also worked on Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey."

The film's creative team includes action choreography by Terry Notary and Guy Norris, production design by Ramsey Avery and Ravi Bansal, and music from Oscar winners Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman. Footage from the project was first shown in 3-D at CinemaCon in April, described by IndieWire as "a special effects explosion of color and otherworldly spectacle."

The story

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, "Ramayana" adapts the Sanskrit verse by the sage Valmiki. The epic follows Prince Rama, regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, who is exiled for 14 years alongside his wife Sita (Sai Pallavi) and brother Lakshmana (Ravi Dubey). After Sita is abducted, Rama confronts Ravana, the king of Lanka.

Release timeline

The first installment is scheduled to open in India on November 8 during the Diwali holiday. The second part is planned for release in 2027. The filmmakers have mounted an international promotional campaign with appearances in the United States and Britain. The Hollywood Reporter noted the news arrives as Nolan's "The Odyssey" has passed $300 million worldwide since its release a week ago.