Ramayana: Rs 4K-cr epic bets on global audiences

MUMBAI: The new two-part mythological epic Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash, is poised to challenge whether Indian film intellectual property can be turned into a global entertainment industry beyond the Indian diaspora. Produced for an estimated Rs 4,000 crores, the ambitious project is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and backed by Namit Malhotra, who is seeking to bring the film to screens worldwide.

Sony Pictures is responsible for worldwide distribution, giving the film access to a global network from the outset. The film is expected to reach over 50,000 screens globally, alongside approximately 9,000 screens in India.

What sets Ramayana apart from other Indian films is its focus on reaching audiences who have no prior connection to the epic, rather than solely targeting the Indian diaspora. Indian cinema has made inroads into international markets with films like Dangal, Baahubali, RRR, Pathaan, and Kalki 2898 AD, which have performed strongly at the global box office.

However, Ramayana aims to appeal to a wider non-diaspora audience as part of its core market, rather than simply extending the overseas Indian audience. This strategy aligns with the Indian government's encouragement for creators to build audiences beyond the domestic market, as emphasized by PM Narendra Modi at the WAVES summit.

Successfully marketing and educating audiences unfamiliar with the epic's characters, mythology, and cultural context presents a significant challenge for the film. To address this, the team behind Ramayana spent 18 months to two years traveling, meeting with studios, and explaining the project before securing distribution through Sony.

The production is being developed in multiple Indian languages, with an English version also in the works, with the intention of offering international audiences a seamless viewing experience akin to films from their own markets.

Malhotra believes that the film has the potential to reach a global audience of over 50,000 screens, compared to the 8,000-12,000 screens seen for some of the largest previous Indian releases. The marketing spend for Ramayana is also expected to be on a scale unseen before, potentially reaching between Rs 200 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, in line with the spending required to market a film worldwide on the same scale as Hollywood's biggest event releases.

Industry executives view Ramayana as part of a broader expansion in the ambitions of Indian cinema, with PVR INOX's Ajay Bijli calling it an opportunity to take a universally appealing story to the world. Nitin Menon, managing partner at NV Capital, sees the project as part of an effort to turn Indian mythology into globally recognizable intellectual property, describing the ambition as India's growing confidence in its storytelling and soft power.