Ramayana's ₹4,000 crore budget: Yash sets record straight on budget, explains global scale

When reports emerged that director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming cinematic adaptation of Ramayana carried a staggering price tag of $500 million (approximately ₹4,000 crore), trade analysts and industry observers questioned how any Indian film could ever recover such an astronomical investment.

The narrative shifted when star and co-producer Yash stepped up to dismantle the figures, explaining that the numbers were widely misunderstood by the public and media.

During his recent appearance on the talk show Aap Ki Adalat, host Rajat Sharma questioned Yash about the immense scale of the project. Addressing the ₹4,000 crore figure head-on, the actor demystified the economics governing the two-part epic.

"That is a misconception, so let me clarify it to everyone," Yash said. "₹4000 crore is the budget for the two-part film, including release and promotion. It is the same as Hollywood. Our partner (Namit) said this after including all that. Wahan ka maths waisa hi hota hai (The math there is like this). A budget equal to the film, or sometimes more, they spend on promotion because it is global. But the revenue is global too."

The actor outlined that Indian cinema must adapt to international operational frameworks if it aims to compete on the world stage. For Yash, high-budget endeavors are not merely financial gambles, but strategic necessities to expand the footprint of Indian storytelling across international markets.

“Cinema is a soft power,” he added. “All of us have to work really hard towards it. Whatever happens, we will work hard and do our job properly. If not today, then tomorrow we'll make it happen. If we don't, someone else will -, but it should happen. That is what I feel. Both Ramayana and Toxic are attempts to position Indian cinema as global films.”

In Ramayana, Yash portrays Ravana alongside Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita. Beyond his acting duties, Yash serves as a co-producer alongside Namit Malhotra. The ensemble cast features Sunny Deol, Ravie Dubey, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, and Kunal Kapoor. Ramayana Part One is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide on November 6, ahead of Diwali.

Prior to that, Yash will headline Geetu Mohandas’ gangster drama Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, releasing on August 26.