Made in Rs 835 crore, India’s most expensive film, beats Baahubali, Kalki 2898 AD, Pushpa 2, Thugs of Hindostan, Adipurush, Brahmastra, name is…, lead actors are…
What if the costliest Indian film ever made isn’t a sci-fi spectacle or a superhero franchise — but a retelling of ancient mythology?
Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari, known for Dangal, is now mounting the most expensive Indian film in history — Ramayana — with a jaw-dropping budget of INR 835 crore (approx. $100 million). That’s more than Kalki 2898 AD (INR 600 crore), RRR and Adipurush (INR 550 crore each), and Brahmastra (INR 375 crore) — combined.
And here’s the twist: Only Part 1 is done.
Based on Valmiki’s ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana is being crafted as a two-part cinematic saga with Part 1 already wrapped and now entering an intense post-production phase. The film promises a mythological spectacle on a scale that Bollywood has never seen before.
A cast woven in stardust
Headlining this colossal project is Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Kannada superstar Yash as Ravana. But the star power doesn’t stop there — names like Vivek Oberoi, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal, Ravi Dubey, Kunal Kapoor, Arun Govil, Sheeba Chadha, and Indira Krishnan fill out an ensemble that reads like a galaxy of stars.
The first-look reveal on July 3 has already ignited fan anticipation. The film is set to release during Diwali 2026, aiming to deliver an epic fit for the festival of lights.
VFX fit for a godly war
The visual effects are being handled by a British-Indian studio that has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects, further raising expectations for a visually arresting experience. With so much riding on scale and spectacle, post-production will be a painstakingly detailed process.
Will part 2 wait on part 1’s fate?
While Part 1 is nearing completion, the filming schedule for Part 2 remains undisclosed. Industry buzz suggests the team may hold off until they gauge audience response to the first instalment before going full throttle.
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