Kothare’s first look at the Ramayana set felt less like a production and more like stepping into a living myth. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the distant hum of a thousand cameras, a moment that made him pause and think, “What just happened today!”
He stepped onto the dust‑laden streets of Ayodhya, eager to play Bharath, the silent protector in Nitesh Tiwari’s sprawling saga. The rest of the cast—Ranbir Kapoor as the idealistic Rama, Sai Pallavi as the resilient Sita, Ravi Dubey as the loyal Lakshman—were already on set, each wrapped in elaborate period costumes that seemed to breathe history itself.
Tiwari, known for his grand visual storytelling, kept the crew moving with a calm, almost meditative rhythm. “We’re shooting something that feels larger than life,” he told the crew, eyes glinting with the same intensity that once lit the screen in 3D for 3 Idiots. Kothare swore he could hear the distant chants echoing through the sets, a soundtrack of devotion that pulled even the most seasoned actors into the narrative.
The scale of the production is staggering: a ₹4,000 crore budget, a two‑part film slated for Diwali 2026, and an international release on November 5. The film will roll out in multiple languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam—and even hit IMAX theatres, a sign that the makers are aiming for the global market.
Kothare praised the crew, calling director Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra, and cinematographer Pankaj Kumar the “best team in the world.” He also nodded to the musical maestros behind the score—A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer—who have previously collaborated on projects like The Dark Knight. Their collaboration promises a soundtrack that could as well be a character in its own right.
As the shoot wrapped for the day, Kothare’s reflection was simple yet profound: “I’m part of something that is so huge, that feels almost divine.” With the set lights fading and the city’s ancient streets closing the curtain, the promise of a cinematic retelling of the Ramayana continues to grow louder, ready to roar across screens this Diwali and beyond.