Indian films are no longer shy of big budgets. Earlier, ₹50 crore was seen as huge. Now, even movies made for streaming platforms easily cost twice as much. As a result, Indian cinema is catching up to Hollywood in both scale and spending.
Soon, this progress will hit a new milestone with India’s first-ever $100 million film.
Ramayana Set to Break Budget Records
Director Nitesh Tiwari is working on a grand two-part adaptation of the Ramayana. Recently, the team wrapped up filming for the first part, which is now in post-production.
According to a 2024 report by Bollywood Hungama, the film has a massive budget of $100 million (around ₹835 crore). Therefore, it becomes the most expensive film in Indian history.
In comparison, other high-budget films include:
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Kalki 2898 AD – ₹600 crore
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RRR – ₹550 crore
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Adipurush – ₹550 crore
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Brahmastra Part One – ₹375 crore
Produced by Namit Malhotra
Meanwhile, Namit Malhotra is producing this epic. He owns Prime Focus, a global media services company. In addition, he leads DNEG, a British-Indian visual effects company.
Notably, DNEG has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects. Thus, the team expects Ramayana to feature world-class visuals.
Powerful Star Cast
The film features:
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Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama
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Sai Pallavi as Sita
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Yash as Ravana
Moreover, the supporting cast includes Vivek Oberoi, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal, Ravi Dubey, Kunal Kapoor, Arun Govil, Sheeba Chadha, and Indira Krishnan.
Release Timeline
Importantly, the filmmakers will release the first look on July 3. After that, the film is scheduled to hit theatres on Diwali 2026.