Ramayana Began as a Five-Member Collaboration.. but the Project Took an Unexpected Turn

One of Indian cinema’s most ambitious projects, Ramayana, has returned to the spotlight as the film reaches audiences worldwide. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the movie features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita, with expectations running high among viewers. An old photograph from the project’s early days has now sparked fresh discussion in film circles. In July 2019, trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared an announcement stating that producers Allu Aravind, Madhu Mantena and Namit Malhotra were coming together to make Ramayana as a three-part 3D spectacle. The announcement also named Nitesh Tiwari and Ravi Udyawar as the directors, accompanied by a photograph of all five associated with the initial plan.

However, the project underwent significant changes over the years. Reports indicated that Ravi Udyawar, Allu Aravind and Madhu Mantena were no longer part of the venture. Differences reportedly involving the budget, creative decisions and intellectual property rights also became points of discussion. Subsequently, Namit Malhotra, head of DNEG, took the lead in steering the project, while Kannada star Yash joined as a co-producer and was cast as Ravana. The old photograph has once again drawn attention to how a project initially announced as a collaboration between five industry figures evolved into its present form after several changes and reported disagreements.