Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions Bags Rs 250 Crore India Distribution Deal Of Ramayana

Karan Johar's Dharma Productions has bagged a staggering Rs 250 crore deal to acquire India's theatrical distribution rights for the ambitious mythological epic Ramayana ahead of its worldwide release in cinemas this Diwali in October, according to a Variety India report. The deal, which reportedly began at Rs 500 crore, was finalised after multiple rounds of discussions with the film's co-producers Namit Malhotra's DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.

The report further added that Malhotra, who is also the founder of Prime Focus Studios, carefully evaluated several distribution studios before making the final decision. As part of the selection process, Malhotra screened an edited 30-minute cut of the film for the prospective studios to showcase the overall cinematic scale and visual effects of the movie. The screening reportedly left a strong impression on Dharma Productions, paving the way for further discussions that eventually culminated in a deal.

The Ramayana distribution deal adds another major title to Dharma Productions, which had earlier 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 entertainment company, founded by Yash Johar, also received a significant financial boost a few years ago when Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute of India acquired a 50 percent stake in Dharma Productions for Rs 1,000 crore.

While Dharma Productions will handle Ramayana's release in the domestic market, Warner Bros. will oversee the international distribution of the ambitious two-part saga, which is reportedly being made on a massive budget of Rs 4,000 crore.

Touted as 'the most anticipated Indian film of this year' by IMDB, Ramayana: Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, Vivek Oberoi as Vidyutjiva, Rakul Preet Singh as Surapanakha, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara, Indira Krishnan as Kausalaya, Faisal Malik as Kumbhakarna, Addinath M. Kothare as Bharath, Satyen Chaturvedi as Sumantra and Kunal Kapoor as Indra Dev among others.

The film's soundtrack is composed by Oscar-winning musicians AR Rehman and Hans Zimmer, the acclaimed German musician behind the scores of iconic Hollywood blockbusters, such as The Lion King, Inception, Interstellar, Gladiator, and The Dark Knight trilogy.

Meanwhile, recent speculations around the Ramayana trailer launch have set social media abuzz, with fans expecting it to arrive on July 18. However, the makers have not officially confirmed the date. Ramayana: Part 1 has already completed filming and is currently in post-production work, while Part 2 has entered the pre-production stage and is expected to hit the screens in 2027.