LAS VEGAS – The film-makers behind the big-budget Hindu epic, Ramayana, are aiming to bring a classic Hindu story to global audiences in 2026.
Ramayana tells a 5,000-year-old story about Prince Rama, an incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, played by Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, who is exiled to the forests for 14 years along with his wife and brother. When his wife is kidnapped, the story brings Rama into conflict with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, played by Indian actor Yash.
“I have tried to internalise … the whole essence of Ravana and tried to make him as human as possible at times,” Yash said in an interview last week. “It’s important for people to relate to him, especially (since) we have global ambitions, so we need to make it familiar to a Western audience as well.”
The team behind the two-part film, which has a combined budget of up to US$500 million (S$635 million), appeared at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas, where Ramayana posters were displayed alongside promotions for Hollywood’s upcoming releases.
The first movie will be released in India and the United States on Nov 8 to coincide with Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights. The second film will come out in 2027.
Producer Namit Malhotra said Ramayana would mix elements of fantasy and human drama from Hollywood movies such as Gladiator (2000) and The Lord Of The Rings (2001 to 2003).
“It will promise a very different experience, unlike anything traditionally that, let’s say, Indian movies offer or even Hollywood for that matter,” Malhotra said. “It’s meant for the world and it’s got the best of the East and the best of the West coming together to make it happen.” REUTERS