Rakul Preet Singh has broken her silence on one of Indian cinema's most ambitious productions yet, confirming that the long-gestating 'Ramayana' is finally nearing its first release milestone. Speaking in Delhi, the actor, who plays Surpanakha in the mythological epic, described the project as a multi-year undertaking unlike anything the industry has attempted before.
A Two-Part Epic With Global Ambitions
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, 'Ramayana' assembles a cast that includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman. The scale of the production is matched by its distribution strategy: the film will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, and will be presented in IMAX, a format typically reserved for the biggest theatrical spectacles. Part 1 is scheduled for 5 November 2026, with Part 2 following in the Diwali window of 2027, a gap that signals the complexity of post-production work involved in a project of this visual ambition.
The production brings together Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios, the Oscar-winning visual effects house DNEG, and Yash's own Monster Mind Creations, pairing homegrown storytelling with globally recognised technical expertise. Sony Pictures will distribute the film internationally outside India, while Dharma Productions handles the Hindi-speaking domestic market - a dual distribution model that reflects how Indian studios are increasingly structuring major releases for both local and overseas audiences simultaneously.
Why The Format Matters
Splitting a single narrative across two theatrical releases, separated by roughly a year, is a model more associated with Hollywood franchise filmmaking than Indian mythological cinema. Rakul herself acknowledged this when she said the attempt is "something that India hasn't tried ever." For audiences, that means patience: the story will unfold incrementally, with box-office performance of Part 1 likely shaping expectations and marketing for Part 2. For the industry, it is a test of whether India's exhibition and VFX ecosystem can sustain a tentpole production on a timeline stretching across multiple years without losing audience momentum.
Beyond The Film: A Public Figure In Multiple Roles
Rakul's Delhi appearance was not limited to discussing 'Ramayana'. She was also present to promote Bata's festive campaign, "Comfort But Make It Festive," where she spoke about the brand's evolution and its continued relevance to younger consumers seeking comfort-led footwear during the festive season. The juxtaposition is a familiar one in contemporary celebrity culture - an actor balancing a historic cinematic commitment with ongoing commercial endorsements, each feeding visibility to the other without either overshadowing the actual substance of the work involved.