Ranbir Kapoor just gave fans the most compelling reason to get excited yet Nitesh Tiwari‘s’Ramayanaand the scale being described is unlike anything Indian cinema has attempted before. In an interview with Collider, the actor revealed that the two-part mythological epic has a combined runtime of six hours, and drew a direct comparison. Peter JacksonHe describes the benchmark ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy and the project as India’s biggest epic show. The revelation comes on the heels of the film’s teaser, which received an overwhelming response online last week.
Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana on an extraordinary scale
Speaking to Collider, Ranbir Kapoor didn’t hold back when describing the ambition of what Nitesh Tiwari had built up over the course of the two-part saga. He said, “It’s nothing but Lord of the Rings. It’s our biggest epic show coming from our country, and this was just a teaser. We have six hours of epic visuals and epic action sequences, emotions. It teaches you to be a better son, a better husband, a better brother. It is the victory of good over evil. There are so many layers of story going on with this movie that I’m really excited for people to try it out.”The ‘Lord of the Rings’ comparison is significant. Peter Jackson’s trilogy, which lasted almost nine hours in its long editions, is considered a benchmark for large-scale fantasy filmmaking. Kapoor’s reference is not just promotional. With six hours of footage across two films, an ensemble cast and a production six to seven years in the making, ‘Ramayana’ is clearly set to operate on a scale never before attempted by Indian cinema.
Ranbir Kapoor in ‘Ramayana Part Two’
Beyond the runtime revelation, Ranbir also offered a significant production update that will excite fans wondering about the timeline of Part 2. In the same interview, Kapoor stated, “We’re already halfway through shooting the second part, at least my parts. It’s even more exciting than what you’ve seen.”The update suggests that the production behind ‘Ramayana’ is moving at a pace that the promised Diwali 2027 release for Part 2 can be kept firmly in place.
Producer Namit Malhotra on the budget of ‘Ramayana’
The six-hour running time and ‘Lord of the Rings’ comparisons offer a glimpse into the financial scale on which ‘Ramayana’ has been built. Producer Namit Malhotra, speaking to reporter Prakhar Gupta, confirmed, “When we started doing this six or seven years ago, people thought I was crazy because no Indian film comes close to this scale. It’s just that the budget will be around USD 500 million for both parts, which is over 4 billion.“
More about ‘Ramayana’
‘Ramayana’ stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Adding to its global appeal is the historic musical collaboration between Indian maestro AR Rahman and legendary Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. Part 1 is slated for Diwali 2026 and Part 2 is expected to follow in Diwali 2027.
