Nitesh Tiwari’s “Ramayana: Part One,” starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, will be available to buy on demand from streamer JioHotstar in India after its theatrical run.
The deal between JioHotstar and Prime Focus Studios will see the film sold as a separate on-demand purchase on the platform. The companies described it as the first pay-per-view offering of its kind on JioHotstar. The film will stream in the best quality each supported device can handle.
The epic, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi, follows exiled prince Rama (Kapoor) and his consort Sita (Pallavi) through exile into catastrophe, as Sita’s abduction at the hands of Ravana (Yash) sets in motion an epic war between righteousness and evil. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman and Ravie Dubey Lakshman. Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor and Kajal Aggarwal round out the cast.
The film opens worldwide on Nov. 5, in time for the Diwali festival holiday, in the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English languages. Imax 3D is among its formats. Sony Pictures Entertainment is releasing the film globally. The film’s Indian distribution will be handled by media personality Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
“’Ramayana’ is one of India’s greatest civilizational treasures – a story that has shaped our conscience, inspired our imagination, and guided the way we live for centuries,” said Nita M. Ambani, chair of JioStar. “As India enters a new era of storytelling, we have an extraordinary opportunity to carry our cultural legacy forward. At JioHotstar, our vision is to use technology to bring the finest stories within reach of every Indian. It is our privilege to present this grand cinematic vision of ‘Ramayana’ to families across the country, and introduce a new generation to its eternal values of duty, love, courage, and goodness.”
Prime Focus Studios is producing with DNEG, the visual effects and production company that has won eight Oscars, and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. “Ramayana” is a live-action project in two parts, with Shridhar Raghavan adapting Valmiki’s epic for the screen.
Namit Malhotra, the producer and filmmaker who founded DNEG and serves as its CEO, said he believes the film should be watched on the largest screen available, in Imax 3D.
“But our country’s cinema infrastructure cannot reach everyone who holds this epic close,” Malhotra said. “’Ramayana’ belongs to every Indian, and our ambition must reflect that. JioHotstar has time and again shown how technology can bring a nation together through its sports and entertainment offering. That made them a natural partner to take Ramayana into people’s hands and living rooms, after its theatrical run.”
The film brings in Oscar winners Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman as composers. Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery handled production design, and Terry Notary and Guy Norris oversaw the action. The film was designed with Imax and other premium large formats in mind, and the production mixes Indian and international talent.