Why another Ramayana? Producer Namit Malhotra reveals vision behind Ranbir Kapoor's epic

Ramayana Part 1 is gearing up for a grand release on Thursday, and the film has already received positive early reviews, creating excitement among audiences. Ahead of its arrival, producer Namit Malhotra has explained why he felt the need to bring another adaptation of the Ramayana, despite the epic having been retold several times.

He also spoke about the film's international ambitions and got emotional while addressing the audience at a special Mumbai screening.

Namit Malhotra on why he wanted to make another Ramayana

Addressing the question of why audiences need another adaptation of an epic they already know, he said the intention was to offer a cinematic experience.

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In an interview with PTI, Malhotra said, "In India, there are a lot of questions like, 'Why are they making the Ramayana when there have been so many Ramayanas? We already know the story.' And I'm like, 'Listen, we're making it because we want to show you the version of this story that you've never seen.' No television show, no street play, no Ram Leela has ever shown you the Ramayana on this scale and with this spectacle that we are making...Much like an Avatar or an Avengers movie or think about Spider-Man or The Odyssey. We're putting Ramayana right up there next to all of those spectacles."

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The producer also wants the film to make a statement about India's ability to create large-scale cinematic spectacles that can compete with international productions.

“If you think about the West, they are the most potent audience for anything that's got a grand epic spectacle. And that's just not how Indian films have been made. So while India makes terrific Indian movies, whether it is 'Baahubali', 'Dhurandhar', or any of the big, super-duper hit films, they are not spectacles the way Hollywood thinks of spectacles. We are first trying to narrow that gap down and saying, 'If you can do it, we can do it too.' There's no reason for us to have any discrepancy. So, every person in Hollywood should acknowledge that India can also do something as good, if not bigger, than what they do,” he added.

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Namit Malhotra gets emotional at Mumbai screening

The producer's excitement was also evident at a special screening of Ramayana: Part 1 in Mumbai on Tuesday.

A video of his address, shared by Filmy Duniya, showed him describing the occasion as a major moment for the team.

"It's a big day. I believe that we're doing this, you know, it's actually happening or that we are actually literally releasing it from the top of our hands. It's in the world," he said. "I'm glad that we've been able to make it back in time so we can show this to you all before the world starts to see it."

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About Ramayana: Part 1

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part epic. It stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The cast also features Ravie Dubey, Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, Vivek Oberoi and Anupam Kher.

Produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations, the film has visual effects by DNEG.

The first part will arrive in cinemas on November 5, 2026, while the second instalment is planned for Diwali 2028.

The films are set for release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.