By Kashvi Raj Singh,News18

Copyright news18

Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious two-part epic Ramayana is shaping up to be more than just a film—it’s fast becoming the most expensive cinematic venture in Indian history, with a staggering budget that reportedly exceeds Rs 4,000 crore. Who is the producer with deep enough pockets to fund this massive franchise? It’s Namit Malhotra, the force behind global VFX powerhouse Prime Focus and its Hollywood wing, DNEG. But where is Malhotra getting this money from?
The producer recently appeared on the Game Changers podcast and said, “The shooting for Part 1 is almost over now. When I started planning the film, we had a huge vision. Everyone, including actors, asked me if I had enough funds to pull it off. I’ve finished the first film and not borrowed a single rupee.”
How is Namit Malhotra managing to procure such huge amounts? “I don’t know where the money is coming from. When people ask me how I pulled it off, even I don’t know. This is something else. It’s just happening on its own. This is not just a project or a business proposition,” said Malhotra.
“People ask me what my final budget is going to be — I don’t know. I don’t check that every day. I just see if we’re making the right product. There should be no compromise anywhere,” added Malhotra. He also said that DNEG managed to pay the salaries of 11,000 employees during the pandemic and the Hollywood strike.
Malhotra said, “Today, Ramayana has infused a new life into our business. Even in my experience of 30 years, I can’t pinpoint how it’s happening, but it is… We’ve won so many Oscars for the biggest of Hollywood films. But Ramayana is even bigger and tougher to crack than all of them.” Among Malhotra’s reported boldest moves is also a plan to release Ramayana in 30 to 50 languages, both Indian and international, using AI-powered voice localisation.
The cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Yash (also a co-producer) as Ravana, among others. The music is in the hands of global legends AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer, further adding to its cinematic heft. Ramayana Part 1 and Part 2 are scheduled for Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027 releases, respectively. And if Malhotra and Tiwari’s vision holds, this won’t just be a film—it’ll be a benchmark for Indian cinema on the world stage.