Yash: ‘Let us focus on making this film successful’: Yash urges Indians to ‘focus on making the film successful’ while clarifying that Namit Malhotra’s ‘Ramayana’s’ Rs 4,000 crore budget covers both instalements | Kannada Movie News

Yash has clarified that the reported Rs 4,000 crore budget for Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana covers both instalments of the epic adaptation, not just the first film. Speaking at the film’s trailer launch in Bengaluru on October 15, the actor, who plays Ravana and is also a co-producer, defended producer Namit Malhotra amid criticism over the project’s reported cost. Yash urged Indians to support the film and said its scale should be presented confidently to international audiences.

Yash explains why ‘Ramayana’s’ Rs 4,000 crore budget is being highlighted

Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is among the most ambitious film projects being mounted in Indian cinema, with its reported budget of Rs 4,000 crore drawing considerable attention. Yash, who plays Ravana in the two-part adaptation and is also associated with the project as a co-producer, has now explained why the makers have highlighted the scale of their investment during promotions.Speaking at the film’s trailer launch in Bengaluru on October 15, Yash addressed the criticism directed at producer Namit Malhotra over the reported budget. He argued that Indian filmmakers should confidently communicate the scale of their productions when promoting them to international audiences.“People have not let go of Namit Malhotra ever since he spoke about spending Rs 4,000 crore on Ramayana. This is the problem in our country. When we go abroad to promote our films, if we tell people that we have made a small-budget film, they may not give it the importance it deserves. We have to confidently tell them how much we have invested in making it. We need to showcase our country and what we are capable of,” Yash said.

‘Let us focus on making this film successful’: Yash urges Indians to support ‘Ramayana’

Yash also clarified that the Rs 4,000 crore figure refers to the collective budget for both parts of Ramayana, rather than the first instalment alone. The actor had previously indicated that the figure also accounts for international release and promotional expenses.“The figure he quoted is the collective budget. Let others try to pull you down, but I request you not to behave like the Britishers and follow a divide-and-rule approach. Let us focus on making this film successful. We need to come together as a country. I request the people of Karnataka to watch it with their entire families,” he added.With the clarification, Yash sought to address the debate around the film’s reported cost while encouraging audiences to rally behind the project. He specifically appealed to people in Karnataka to watch the film with their families, framing its success as an opportunity to support a major Indian cinematic undertaking.The reported budget has become a talking point during the film’s promotional campaign, with the makers emphasising the scale of the adaptation and its intended reach. Yash’s remarks also bring the conversation back to the distinction between the combined investment in two films and the cost of producing a single instalment.

‘Ramayana’ cast and release dates

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part adaptation of the ancient Indian epic. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, and Yash takes on the role of Ravana. The supporting cast includes Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara and Adinath Kothare as Bharat.The film’s music is composed by Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, while DNEG is handling the visual effects.The first instalment of Ramayana, titled ‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’ is scheduled to release in theatres on November 5, 2026, with the second part planned for Diwali 2027. The two-film format forms part of the makers’ larger approach to bringing the epic to the screen on an expansive scale.