Aug 05, 2026 1:18pm IST
Namit Malhotra Reveals How Yash Joined ‘Ramayana’ after ‘K.G.F: Chapter 2’; Nitesh Tiwari Calls Ranbir Kapoor-Yash Casting ‘Drool-Worthy’
Producer Namit Malhotra has opened up about how Yash joined the ambitious mythological epic “Ramayana,” revealing that the actor came on board soon after the massive success of “K.G.F: Chapter 2.” Malhotra also shared that he was convinced Yash had the screen presence needed to portray Ravana.
Speaking about the casting process with ScreenRant, Malhotra said he had not met Yash before the project began taking shape. At the time, the director was based between London and Los Angeles when Yash happened to visit LA. He added that during their meeting, he introduced Yash to the vision behind “Ramayana.”
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Having watched “K.G.F: Chapter 2,” Malhotra believed the actor possessed the intensity required to bring Ravana to life. “The way it played out with Yash was very interesting. Yash had just finished his last mega hit called “K.G.F: Chapter 2” and that became a blockbuster all over India. His character exploded like crazy. It was interesting because I'd actually not met him. I was living in London and Los Angeles at the time. He visited LA and we happened to get together. We were in the middle of developing the story. I ended up showing him the world of “Ramayana.” I had seen his film, so I knew about the kind of energy that he could bring to the character of Ravana. I knew he would be very powerful,” he revealed.
He further mentioned, “And when Yash and I met, the process happened like clockwork. He came on board then to join me as a producer and bring this to the world. He got excited about the ambition and the aspiration of “Ramayana.”"
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Director Nitesh Tiwari also expressed his excitement over the film's lead casting, with Ranbir Kapoor portraying Lord Rama and Yash taking on the role of Ravana. “I can't be happier. As a director, if you have Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Rama and Yash playing Ravana, it is drool-worthy stuff,” he said.
The epic is slated to release as two films on Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027.
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