Yash: Ramayana’s Rs 4,000 crore covers both parts

At the Ramayana trailer launch in Bengaluru on October 15, Yash gave the reported Rs 4,000 crore budget a crucial qualifier: it belongs to both instalments of Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part epic, not just the first. The actor, who plays Ravana and is one of the film’s co-producers, was also defending producer Namit Malhotra against the criticism that has followed the number.

Yash reframes the Rs 4,000 crore figure

Yash said the figure is the “collective budget” for the adaptation. He had earlier indicated that it also accounts for international release and promotional expenses, making it a project-level investment rather than a single film’s price tag.

The actor went further, arguing that Indian cinema undersells itself abroad. If filmmakers describe a production as small while facing international buyers, he suggested, it may not be treated with the importance it deserves. “We need to showcase our country and what we are capable of,” Yash said.

A number that needed context

For audiences, the Rs 4,000 crore headline reads differently once its scope is made clear:

• Budget: Rs 4,000 crore across both parts, including international release and promotion costs, as Yash has indicated.
• First release: Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, in cinemas on November 5, 2026.
• Second release: planned for Diwali 2027.
• Key cast: Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana.
• Music and VFX: Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman on the score, with DNEG handling visual effects.

Why it matters for fans

The clarification arrives with less than a month to go before the first instalment opens. Until now, much of the promotional conversation has centred on cost, and the number—presented without the two-film context—has become a flashpoint. Yash’s appeal was simple: “let us focus on making this film successful.” He asked Karnataka families to watch it together and framed the release as a moment to back a major Indian production.

For Indian cinema, this is a small lesson in budget communication. A two-part adaptation carries two production cycles, two marketing pushes and two release windows. Presenting the combined investment can signal global ambition, but without context it invites sticker shock that overwhelms everything else about the film.

What comes next

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend reaches theatres on November 5, 2026, and the second part is planned for Diwali 2027. The real test will be whether audiences match the makers’ confidence at the box office.

Source: The Times of India