Ramayana Producer Namit Malhotra Declares LA Premiere His “Oscar Moment” Before November 5 Release
Producer Namit Malhotra recently celebrated a significant milestone in his career with the Los Angeles premiere of his ambitious adaptation of the Indian epic, Ramayana. The event took place at the David Geffen Theater inside the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Malhotra reflected on his journey from starting a post-production company to bringing this iconic story to an international audience. He introduced the film’s director, Nitesh Tiwari, and lead cast members, including Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash.
A Personal Oscar Moment for Malhotra
During his address, Malhotra expressed the importance of the evening, stating, “I wanted to host this evening at the Academy Theatre because this is my Oscar moment.” He shared insights about his long-standing connection with Los Angeles and his work in visual effects through DNEG, a company that has won eight Academy Awards, including seven in the past 11 years, collaborating with renowned filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve.
Reflecting on his beginnings, Malhotra said, “For a third generation film family background, garage startup kid at 19 with an Apple computer working with three of his teachers who are all of 21, Merzin, Prakash and Josefa, this is what dreams are made of and what better place to share this moment than the city of Angels, Los Angeles.” He recounted his move to Los Angeles in 2007, aiming to bridge the Indian and international film industries. “In my pursuit of building a global company and connecting the east and the west I set foot in LA in 2007 and haven’t looked back since,” he added.
Overcoming Challenges on the Journey
Malhotra also opened up about the financial challenges he faced during the 2008 crisis, which significantly impacted his journey. “An immigrant who lost 90% of his wealth with the fun times in 2008 as I’m sure some of you may remember to bounce back today and being able to bring the biggest independent production in the world the Ramayana, I can’t even tell you what it feels like to stand here today,” he shared, highlighting the resilience required to achieve his dreams.
As he introduced the film’s key collaborators, Malhotra emphasized the importance of each cast member. He presented Nitesh Tiwari as the director and introduced Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita. “As you all can see Ram without Sita does not work. So please welcome Sai Pallavi,” he remarked. He also introduced Yash, who plays Ravana, saying, “And the reason that you know this film happened or the conflict happened is because they have to fight Raavan, and that is the rocking star Yash.” Malhotra acknowledged the contributions of both Indian and international talent involved in the project, including composer Hans Zimmer and choreographer Terry Notary.
A Vision of Collaboration
Malhotra articulated a broader vision for Ramayana, emphasizing the collaboration between Indian and Western talent. “I stand here to showcase the best of India and the best of the west working together to create a motion picture that means more to billions of people around the world than you all can imagine,” he stated. He expressed gratitude to his family, collaborators, backers, and the Sony Pictures team for their support.
The Los Angeles premiere attracted a large audience, with the primary screening at the 945-seat David Geffen Theater reportedly oversubscribed. To accommodate the overwhelming interest, the team arranged an additional screening space.
Ramayana features a star-studded cast, including Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. The two-part film is set to begin with Part 1 on November 5, 2026, followed by Part 2 during Diwali 2027. It will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, with Sony Pictures handling its international distribution.
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