The teaser for the much-awaited epic saga Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, released on Thursday and was widely circulated on social media. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the nearly three-minute teaser has already got everyone talking about the massive scale on which it is produced.
But one thing everyone is unanimously talking about is the world-class visual effects in the teaser. Meet Namit Malhotra, the man and brain behind the most expensive film in India.
Who is Namit Malhotra?
Namit Malhotra is a prominent name in the global VFX industry. He started his career in the mid-1990s. He launched Prime Focus from his father’s garage in Mumbai. What started as a local venture grew massively after a strategic merger with Video Workshop, which transformed the way visual effects were done in Indian cinema.
Over the next few years, he expanded his operations internationally, establishing Prime Focus World. The company quickly established its branches in major entertainment hubs around the world, like London, Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver. They also did stereo conversions for major Hollywood films, such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Transformers.
In 2014, a prime milestone came in Namit’s career when Prime Focus World merged with Double Negative (DNEG), a London-based VFX house renowned for its work on Inception and Interstellar. Following the merger, Malhotra took over as Chief Executive Officer, and expanded the team from 700 members to more than 8,000 people.
Under his leadership, DNEG is now one of the most celebrated visual effects studios in the world, with eight Academy Awards in the Best Visual Effects category for films including Ex Machina, Blade Runner 2049, First Man, Tenet, and the Dune franchise.
Malhotra has now taken up India’s biggest project, Ramayana. The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash in the role of Ravana, is being brought to life with what’s being described as “next-generation VFX and production design.”
Addressing the media at an event in Mumbai, Malhotra said, “This is a cultural movement for every Indian around the world. With Ramayana, we’re not just retelling history; we’re introducing our legacy to the world,” he said.
“Bringing together the finest global talent allows us to tell this story with authenticity, emotion, and state-of-the-art cinematic innovation. We’ve seen Ramayana portrayed before — but this version reimagines its landscapes, creatures, and battles with the scale and splendour they deserve. As Indians, this is our truth. Now, it will be our gift to the world,” he added.
Ramayana first look teaser
The teaser takes us back to the roots, where it all started, with tales of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, before portraying the core characters of the epic. With a grand musical score, the visuals give us a sneak peek of the film’s mythological grandeur. Elaborately designed kingdoms, special creatures and characters, a mammoth battle sequence, everything looks international.