Oct 16, 2026 2:25pm IST
Yash on Why ‘Ramayana’ Makers Are Highlighting Its ₹4,000 Crore Budget: ‘We Need to Showcase What Our Country Is Capable Of’
Yash has explained why the makers of “Ramayana” have repeatedly highlighted its reported ₹4,000 crore budget, arguing that the figure helps communicate the scale of the project to international audiences. The actor, who plays Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari’s two part adaptation of the Indian epic, believes Indian filmmakers need to be confident about their investments when taking their films to the global market.
Speaking at the film’s trailer launch in Bengaluru on October 15, Yash addressed the scrutiny surrounding the much discussed budget, saying that a smaller figure might not command the same attention overseas.
“People have not let go of Namit Malhotra ever since he spoke about spending ₹4,000 crore on ‘Ramayana’. This is the problem in our country. When we go abroad to promote our films, if we tell people that we have made a small budget film, they may not give it the importance it deserves. We have to confidently tell them how much we have invested in making it. We need to showcase our country and what we are capable of,” Yash said.
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The actor also clarified that the ₹4,000 crore figure refers to the combined budget of both instalments, rather than the production cost of the first film alone. The amount also includes release and promotional expenses, with the project being mounted for an international audience.
“The figure he quoted is the collective budget. Let others try to pull you down, but I request you not to behave like the Britishers and follow a divide and rule approach. Let us focus on making this film successful. We need to come together as a country. I request the people of Karnataka to watch it with their entire families,” he added.
Yash’s remarks come amid sustained discussion around the film’s scale, visual effects and the decision to adapt the Ramayana for the big screen once again. The actor has previously argued that the epic’s familiarity does not make another adaptation redundant, pointing instead to the different ways in which people imagine a story and its characters.
The film’s latest trailer has offered a closer look at the conflict between Ranbir Kapoor’s Rama and Yash’s Ravana, while introducing audiences to the scale of the world being created around the epic. Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Ravie Dubey features as Lakshman and Sunny Deol plays Hanuman. Kunal Kapoor appears as Indra.
Produced by Namit Malhotra, “Ramayana” is planned as a two part cinematic adaptation, with music by A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer. The makers have positioned the project as an attempt to take one of India’s most recognisable stories to audiences worldwide.
The first instalment is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release in November 2026, with the second part planned for 2027.
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