World of Ramayana sets to get games, theme parks and a musical

Ramayana Part 1 is still two weeks away from release, but its producer is already thinking far beyond cinema. At the film’s Telugu pre-release event in Hyderabad on Monday, producer Namit Malhotra unveiled plans to turn the epic into a multimedia universe, with video games, theme park attractions and even a Broadway musical on the list.

Ramayana Cinematic Universe

Malhotra described the Ramayana less as a story to adapt and more as a philosophy passed down through generations of Indian families. He made a comparison with Hollywood franchises. Marvel, Star Wars and DC have each built a universe, he said, and in his view Ramayana is a universe that came first.

The full list of ideas is long, and includes

• Video games, with talk of big-budget titles

• A merchandise range covering apparel, toys, gadgets and home furnishings

• Spin-offs such as origin films, TV series and animated features

• Theme park attractions

• A Broadway musical

• Virtual reality, augmented reality and metaverse experiences

Malhotra, who is associated with Prime Focus Studios and is the global CEO of the visual effects company DNEG, reportedly said the team has outlined around five spin-off projects, which could be films or series, built around characters from the epic. Names mentioned in reports include Hanuman, Surpanakha and Jatayu. Reports say the aim is a continuing journey rather than stopping after one or two films. Some of the larger ventures, such as the theme parks, will take considerably longer to arrive.

The franchise begins with Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part adaptation, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and Yash as Ravana. Yash is also a co-producer through his company. Ramayana Part 1 opens worldwide on November 5, 2026, and Part 2 is scheduled for Diwali 2027. At the same event, Sunny Deol’s first look as Lord Hanuman was teased, and Yash reportedly urged audiences to look past minor visual effects shortcomings and back ambitious Indian productions.

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