India's Biggest Fantasy Epic Since 'Baahubali' Is One of the Most Ambitious Movies of 2026

Published Aug 11, 2026, 3:17 PM EDT Summary Collider's Steven Weintraub talks with the creatives behind Ramayana at SDCC 2026. Namit Malhotra discusses teaming up with Sony for historical global distribution. Malhotra, Nitesh Tiwari, and Ranbir Kapoor also discuss the ambitious VFX, Comic-Con, and the status of their sequel. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that co-writer and director Nitesh Tiwari’s big-budget Hindu epic, Ramayana, one of the most ambitious Indian fantasy epics since Baahubaali, was acquired by Sony for global distribution. This massive news came alongside the unveiling of the first trailer for Part 1, offering up four minutes of footage to hold fans over until its official theatrical release on November 6. Speaking with Collider’s Steven Weintraub, Tiwari, star Ranbir Kapoor, and producer Namit Malhotra discuss their hopes for the film’s release, and comment on partnering with Sony. The trio also celebrate bringing this timeless tale to the world, in which Kapoor takes on the portrayal of Rama, a virtuous prince who must step up to defeat the vengeful and immortal demon king Ravana (Yash). The movie and its Part 1 sequel will also star Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey, and Sunny Deol. As far as their new deal with Sony, Malhotra calls it what it is: a historic milestone in the filmmaking industry. He puts the collaboration into stark perspective: “I think it's fair to say, especially when you're doing your first film at this scale, it's never easy. It's not meant to be easy. So, like all such deals in the movie business, this was incredibly hard to pin down and get it through, but I'm glad that we got there. I think what's more important, Steve, is to recognize that in over 100 years of Hollywood and the Indian film industry, this will be the first film ever that hits mainstream theatrical release worldwide by a Hollywood studio and an Indian movie coming together. So for me, that's a big win, bigger than probably anything else we've done in the last few years, to see how they're going to bring Ramayana to the mainstream of the world, like everything else.” Don’t miss the full conversation in the video above, with time codes provided below, where Nitesh, Malhotra, and Kapoor talk VFX, marketing, the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, and the status of both films. 00:27 - The creatives behind Ramayana on their journey since CinemaCon. 01:15 - Ranbir Kapoor discusses attending a Coldplay concert. 02:35 - Producer Namit Malhotra discusses their historic milestone partnership with Sony. 04:25 - Comic-Con offered the perfect opportunity to introduce Ramayana to a global audience. 08:19 - Director Nitesh Tiwari says edits are locked for Part 1. 09:01 - Malhotra says Ramayana’s VFX are by far his most ambitious undertaking. 10:15 - Kapoor discusses misguided critiques on years of craftsmanship behind visual effects. 12:56 - Malhotra comments on experiencing film in theaters versus other formats. 15:23 - Tiwari says the sequel is on hold to work on Ramayana Part 1. 16:30 - Malhotra discusses whether Ramayana will make an appearance at TIFF 2026. Ramayana: Part 1 opens in theaters on November 6. Release Date November 8, 2026 Director Nitesh Tiwari Writers Shridhar Raghavan Producers Yash, Namit Malhotra