Producer Namit Malhotra has said that the scale of Ramayana’s global release is unprecedented. The film, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is releasing globally on 70,000 screens, more than twice as wide a release as any Indian film has had before. Namit, who has bankrolled the film, has said that it is his dream to take Indian storytelling globally with the film. Now, in a new interview, he re-emphasised this dream, comparing himself to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
‘Like Sachin Tendulkar on debut’
Ahead of its release, Ramayana had its world premiere at the David Geffen Theatre at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, where the films nominated for Oscars are screened. This was hailed as a monumental achievement for an Indian film. Talking with PTI, Namit said, “The biggest thing I feel right now is gratitude because, to me, the fact that we have a film industry for over 100 years, and I get to have this golden opportunity to produce Ramayana and to present it to the world like never before, is unbelievable. There are generations of filmmakers who have come before me who are brilliant in what they've done in India. But a Ramayana like this has never been made by any Indian filmmaker. And I get to be that person today. It's like Sachin Tendulkar getting picked to play the World Cup on his debut.”
Based on the epic by Valmiki, the Ramayana is a story widely known to almost every Indian. But to Westerners, it is largely new. Namit says that with the film, he hopes to introduce Western audiences to the story. He added, “Just imagine I'm standing here and saying, 'You guys know The Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars, but do you know that Ramayana came before all of these great epics? And it's not trying to copy or borrow from you. In fact, it's an original story. It's original characters and an original world that have been envisioned. So they are excited about it. And that's why I think that the opportunity to connect with the audience is very exciting.”
{{/usCountry}}Based on the epic by Valmiki, the Ramayana is a story widely known to almost every Indian. But to Westerners, it is largely new. Namit says that with the film, he hopes to introduce Western audiences to the story. He added, “Just imagine I'm standing here and saying, 'You guys know The Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars, but do you know that Ramayana came before all of these great epics? And it's not trying to copy or borrow from you. In fact, it's an original story. It's original characters and an original world that have been envisioned. So they are excited about it. And that's why I think that the opportunity to connect with the audience is very exciting.”
{{/usCountry}}Deep Dive
Why is Namit Malhotra making another Ramayana adaptation?
How is Ramayana being released to global audiences?
When does Ramayana release, and which languages will it be available in?
All about Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit's Prime Focus and Yash's Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The first part is scheduled for worldwide release on November 5, while the second part is set for Diwali 2028. The films will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam across India.
Sony Pictures will handle global distribution, excluding India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market.
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