Karan Johar to distribute Ramayana in India as Dharma secures Rs 259 crore deal
Dharma Productions has acquired the India theatrical distribution rights of Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana after negotiations with the co-producers. The Rs 250-crore deal underlines the scale of the two-part epic and the industry attention around it.
Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's ambitious two-part adaptation of the Ramayana has secured one of the biggest distribution deals in Indian cinema. Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has reportedly acquired the India theatrical distribution rights for Ramayana with producers Namit Malhotra and Yash for a staggering Rs 250 crore.
According to a report by Variety India, co-producers Namit Malhotra's DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations finalised the deal with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions after multiple rounds of negotiations. The discussions reportedly began at around Rs 500 crore before the agreement was closed at Rs 250 crore for the film's distribution across India.
The report states that Malhotra screened nearly 30 minutes of edited footage from the film for prospective distributors before the deal was sealed.
The agreement marks another major acquisition for Dharma Productions, which has distributed several high-profile pan-India blockbusters over the years, including SS Rajamouli's Baahubali films, Rana Daggubati's The Ghazi Attack, Shankar's 2.0 and Jr NTR's Devara: Part 1. The production house also received a significant financial boost in 2024 after Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute of India acquired a 50 per cent stake in the company for Rs 1,000 crore.
All about Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, among others.
The film's music is being composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
Produced on a reported budget of around Rs 4,000 crore, Ramayana is among the most expensive Indian films ever mounted. The first instalment is slated for a worldwide theatrical release during Diwali 2026, while the second part is currently in pre-production and is slated for a release during Diwali 2027.
The film has generated significant industry buzz, with trade analysts predicting it could emerge as one of Indian cinema's biggest box-office events.
Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's ambitious two-part adaptation of the Ramayana has secured one of the biggest distribution deals in Indian cinema. Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has reportedly acquired the India theatrical distribution rights for Ramayana with producers Namit Malhotra and Yash for a staggering Rs 250 crore.
According to a report by Variety India, co-producers Namit Malhotra's DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations finalised the deal with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions after multiple rounds of negotiations. The discussions reportedly began at around Rs 500 crore before the agreement was closed at Rs 250 crore for the film's distribution across India.
The report states that Malhotra screened nearly 30 minutes of edited footage from the film for prospective distributors before the deal was sealed.
The agreement marks another major acquisition for Dharma Productions, which has distributed several high-profile pan-India blockbusters over the years, including SS Rajamouli's Baahubali films, Rana Daggubati's The Ghazi Attack, Shankar's 2.0 and Jr NTR's Devara: Part 1. The production house also received a significant financial boost in 2024 after Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute of India acquired a 50 per cent stake in the company for Rs 1,000 crore.
All about Ramayana
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, among others.
The film's music is being composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
Produced on a reported budget of around Rs 4,000 crore, Ramayana is among the most expensive Indian films ever mounted. The first instalment is slated for a worldwide theatrical release during Diwali 2026, while the second part is currently in pre-production and is slated for a release during Diwali 2027.
The film has generated significant industry buzz, with trade analysts predicting it could emerge as one of Indian cinema's biggest box-office events.
