A rough cut of Ramayana: Part I was shown to a select audience in Los Angeles on Monday, offering an early glimpse of the much-anticipated epic ahead of its scheduled Diwali release. The screening took place at the Cinemark Playa Vista theatre, with attendees ranging from 18 to 60 years old.
According to a report in The Week, initial reactions from the audience have been very positive, with many praising the film’s scale, visual effects, and storytelling.
The version screened was only a first cut, intended as a test rather than the final release. The film is expected to continue evolving, with feedback from this screening guiding further edits.
Producer Namit Malhotra, who has reportedly invested around Rs 4,000 crore into the project, earlier described the challenges of creating a film of such magnitude. He said on the Game Changers podcast, “The shooting for Part 1 is almost over now. When I started planning the film, we had a huge vision. Everyone, including the actors, asked me if I have enough funds to pull it off. I’ve finished the first film and have not borrowed a single rupee.”
Malhotra added, “I don’t know where the money is coming from. When people ask me how I pulled it off, even I don’t know. This is something else. It’s just happening on its own. This is not just a project or a business proposition.”
The producer also commented on the unpredictability of the project’s budget. He said, “People ask me what my final budget is going to be. I don’t know. I don’t check that every day. I just see if we’re making the right product. There should be no compromise anywhere.”
The project is being developed as a two-part film, with the second instalment planned for release during Diwali next year. An official character launch event is scheduled to take place in April this year in Mumbai on the occasion of Ram Navami.
The Ramayana series features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Ravi Dubey as Laxman, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Yash as Ravan. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the first of the series is slated to hit the screens in November this year, as the grand Diwali release.
