Oct 28, 2026 10:53am IST
‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’ LA Premiere: Namit Malhotra Calls Yash His Producing Partner, Nitesh Tiwari Clarifies AI Use
The team behind “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” held a special screening at the David Geffen Theatre inside the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on October 27, bringing together lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra. The film releases on November 5 worldwide.
Alongside the team behind the epic, celebrities including Jada Pinkett Smith, Jonathan Scott, Poorna Jagannathan, Korbin Miles, Karen Fukuhara, Benji Kelly and Giselle Marengo were also present at the event. The cast and crew interacted with the guests and media, before taking the stage to discuss the importance of “Ramayana” and their experiences bringing the epic to the screen. Here’s everything that the cast and crew shared at the Los Angeles premiere, from Yash’s role as Namit Malhotra’s producing partner to Nitesh Tiwari’s clarification on the film’s use of AI.
Related Stories
Namit Malhotra on Yash as a co-producer
Namit Malhotra praises Yash as an actor in the film and also as his co-producer. Addressing the audience at the event, he says, “Before Yash speaks, I have to say that again, this would not have happened [without him]. Yash is not just a superstar on the film, but he's also my producing partner. And from the very first day we met in Los Angeles, I think it was his conviction and my vision that really brought everything together.”
Yash on the significance of “Ramayana” as an epic
Yash waved at the audience, adding, “Namaskaram. Good evening. I think we don't want to take much of your time. We want you to enjoy the film. But all I can say is, where you start can never define how far you can go. I'm proud of being a member of the Kannada film industry and Indian film industry.”
Opening up about the significance of “Ramayana,” the star reveals, “In our country, we just don't tell this story. We remember it and we pass it down for generations to come. And this story has travelled for thousands of years. We are proud to present this to the world and hope it will give a message to the world about India as a culture, as a heritage and what it offers to the global audience. Let's celebrate “Ramayana.””
Okay this gave me CHILLS 🔥 Yash at LA's Academy Museum: "Where you start can never define how far you can go." KGF to a Hollywood premiere, still proudly repping the Kannada industry. That's ROOTED. Will Ramayana conquer the world or is it just hype? #Ramayana #Yash https://t.co/FrfcXOc5lL
— The Bollywood Naari (@UnfilteredNari) October 28, 2026
Nitesh Tiwari on the Use of AI in “Ramayana”
Producer Namit Malhotra had previously opened up about the use of AI in “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend,” explaining how the team was combining human performances with technology to create authentic multilingual versions of the film.
Popular on Variety
During the LA premiere, director Nitesh Tiwari shared his thoughts on the same. He added, “As far as AI is concerned, it has only been used to get the lipsync [right]. So that we can present the film to the world in real languages. All the voices are dubbed by the artistes. There is no AI out there. The AI is only used to get the lip movement right, so that the audience can enjoy it in their native language, and it becomes even more real."
Sai Pallavi on Ravana
Opening up about the epic, Sai mentions, "If one is curious about Indian culture, Indian epics, I think this could be the start where you see the best version of Ramayana that exists. At the same time, as a scripture, I think, if you are a believer, and you would see, try to introspect, and see what good and bad exists in you, and you learn to correct yourself over time. Because Ravana is not all bad. And it's important that we spot the Ravana in us, and we make changes over time."
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.