Producer Namit Malhotra banks on Ramayana Part 2 to recover film's massive budget

The two-part film Ramayana is nearing the Rs 1,000 crore mark globally after a week in theatres, even as its massive budget poses an uphill financial climb. Producer Namit Malhotra told YouTuber Prakhar Gupta in July 2025 that the two films cost $500 million, which translates from Rs 4,000 crore to roughly Rs 4,696 crore due to current currency conversion. He told the BBC Asian Network that if the first part does not bring in the required numbers, the second part will make up for it.

Background

Before the film's release, Namit told Haroon Rashid that the goal was to show that an Indian film can stand next to any big tentpole film of the world. He compared the project to the Taj Mahal and the Tower of London, stating that it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and that he sees the work as beyond business. He also noted in an earlier chat with CNN that if the movies do not make money, merchandise and theme parks could cover losses, and told the Game Changers podcast that he has not borrowed a single rupee for the project.

Cast and Schedule

Actor Yash, who plays Ravana and co-produced the film with Namit, said at a Bengaluru event that the large budget was highlighted to ensure the film gets the proper importance abroad. The cast features Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan, and Rakul Preet Singh. While Part 1 is currently in theatres, the release of Part 2 has been pushed from Diwali 2027 to Diwali 2028.

Context

High-budget cinematic adaptations of cultural epics often face intense scrutiny regarding their box office returns compared to their production costs. Producers of large-scale films sometimes rely on secondary revenue streams like merchandise, theme parks, and multi-part releases to offset heavy financial investments.