Producer Namit Malhotra says he expects to make money from the two-part Ramayana project, even if the films themselves do not generate a profit. In comments to CNN reported by the Indian Express, Malhotra pointed to merchandise, a theme park and other possible ventures as additional routes to revenue.
“If we don’t make money with the movies, we’ll make it in the merchandise. If we don’t make it in the merchandise, we’ll make it in the theme park,” Malhotra said. He argued that a well-received adaptation of the story of Lord Rama would create economic opportunities, while acknowledging that the project’s financial outcome depends on how audiences respond.
A large, two-part undertaking
The report describes the film’s budget as more than Rs 4,000 crore and cites a figure of $500 million, which it converts to about Rs 4,680 crore. Co-produced by Malhotra’s Prime Focus and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, the adaptation is planned as two films, with the sequel scheduled for worldwide cinema release in 2028.
Malhotra said he had taken the financial risk on the project. He also said he had completed the first film without borrowing, and described himself as willing to invest further rather than compromise the production. Those are his claims; the report does not provide an independently assessed breakdown of the project’s financing.
The production’s expenses include visual effects by DNEG, the company Malhotra leads, and music by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman. The report also says the filmmakers are using a tool called Brahma AI to help match English and other foreign-language lip movements.
Budget includes marketing for both films
Yash, who is also a co-producer, has said the budget figure includes overseas marketing costs for both parts. He has defended discussing the scale of the investment as a way to present the production’s ambitions internationally.
The budget has also drawn attention beyond the production team. Actor Salman Khan said the conversation about Ramayana should focus on the epic’s characters and values rather than its cost or visual effects.
Reported box-office performance
The source reports that the film earned more than Rs 413.90 crore gross and Rs 346.35 crore net in India during its first five days, and more than Rs 663.90 crore worldwide. It also reports a domestic Monday gross of over Rs 107 crore. These figures indicate a strong reported opening, but they do not by themselves establish whether the project will recover its full costs, particularly given the scale of the stated budget and the planned second film.
Malhotra’s expectation of eventual profitability rests not only on ticket sales but also on the ancillary businesses he says are planned. The report does not give launch dates, projected earnings or confirmed details for the merchandise or theme-park plans.
Image: DNEG — Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
