India’s most expensive film costs Rs 835 crore, It’s not Kalki 2898 AD, RRR, or Brahmastra

India’s most expensive film costs Rs 835 crore, It’s not Kalki 2898 AD, RRR, or Brahmastra

Indian cinema is growing fast, and so are its budgets. A few years ago, spending Rs 50 crore on a film was seen as a big deal. But today, even movies made for OTT platforms have budgets that go beyond that. Some Indian films are now being made at the same scale as big Hollywood movies. And now, India’s most expensive film ever is about to make history.

The film is not Kalki 2898 AD, RRR, Brahmastra, or Adipurush. It is Ramayana Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. This movie has a budget of around $100 million, which is about Rs 835 crore. This makes it the costliest film ever made in India.

To compare, here are some other big-budget Indian films:
Kalki 2898 AD – Rs 600 crore
RRR – Rs 550 crore
Adipurush – Rs 550 crore
Brahmastra Part One – Rs 375 crore
Ramayana beats all of them in terms of cost and ambition.

This film is based on the ancient Indian epic Ramayana written by Valmiki. It will be released in two parts, and the first part has already finished shooting. It is now going through post-production, where special effects and editing are done.

One of the reasons Ramayana is so expensive is because of its high-quality VFX (visual effects). The VFX work is being handled by DNEG, a world-famous company that has won eight Oscars for its visual effects work. The film is being produced by Namit Malhotra, who owns DNEG and Prime Focus, a major media services company. With such experienced hands working on it, Ramayana promises to be a visual spectacle.

The film also has a powerful star cast. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, and Yash (known from KGF) plays Ravana. Other actors in the movie include Vivek Oberoi, Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal, Arun Govil (who played Rama in the 1980s TV series), and many more.

The first glimpse of the film will be shown to the public on July 3, 2025, and the movie is expected to release during Diwali 2026.

With such a huge budget, top actors, a famous director, and world-class visual effects, Ramayana Part 1 is all set to become a landmark in Indian cinema. It marks a new chapter for the film industry, showing that India can now make movies that stand tall on the global stage.