The countdown to the first trailer of Nitesh Tiwari's ‘Ramayana’ came to an unexpected halt just hours before its scheduled global launch on July 24. While fans were anticipating the first full glimpse of one of India's most ambitious films, producer Namit Malhotra announced that the trailer would instead be unveiled at a later date. 

The postponement, however, is not linked to production delays or creative changes. Instead, the makers say the decision follows a significant international distribution partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, a move they believe will help position ‘Ramayana’ as a truly global cinematic event.

The announcement has shifted attention from the delayed trailer to the film's broader international strategy, with the producers describing it as a milestone not only for the project but also for Indian cinema.

Trailer delayed after Sony Pictures joins the project

Malhotra confirmed that Sony Pictures Entertainment has come on board as the international distributor for ‘Ramayana’, prompting the team to revise its trailer launch plans.

Sharing the update, he wrote, "TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL MOMENT FOR OUR RAMAUANA, MY DREAM OF TAKING RAMAYANA TO THE WORLD IS NOW A REALITY WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT. IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE WE WILL BE LAUNCHING OUR TRAILER NOW GLOBALLY AT A LATER DATE."

The producer did not announce a revised release date for the trailer but indicated that the launch would now be coordinated as part of the film's worldwide rollout strategy.

A global release strategy instead of a conventional launch

According to Malhotra, the partnership is intended to give ‘Ramayana’ an international theatrical presence comparable to major Hollywood productions.

He said, "THIS IS SPECIAL AS IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE OF THE WORLD TO DISCOVER THE RICHNESS OF OUR CULTURE AND OUR STORIES WITH RENEWED PRIDE AND ENTHUSIASM."

In another part of his statement, he described the collaboration as a landmark moment for Indian cinema.

"IN OVER 100 YEARS OF INDIAN CINEMA, THIS WILL BECOME A MOMENT OF GREAT PRIDE WHERE RAMAYANA WILL BE SHOWN TO THE ENTIRE WORLD LIKE ANY MAJOR GLOBAL HOLLYWOOD FILM."

Before concluding his announcement, Malhotra thanked supporters and wrote, "I THANK ALL THE FANS AND THE BELIEVERS OF RAMAYANA TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THE YOUTH OF OUR COUNTRY ARE OUR FUTURE. LET'S ALL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE."

Fans expected the trailer after private preview

The postponement comes only days after the film's cast and crew attended a private screening of the trailer in Delhi. The preview reportedly featured the principal cast and key members of the production team, adding to anticipation ahead of the public release.

The trailer was originally expected to premiere worldwide on July 24, making the last-minute announcement an unexpected development for fans following the film's promotional campaign.

San Diego Comic-Con appearance

Despite the trailer delay, ‘Ramayana’ maintained a strong international presence at San Diego Comic-Con.

Director Nitesh Tiwari was joined by lead actors Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, along with producer Namit Malhotra, for a special panel discussing the making of the film. The team spoke about the scale of the production, the visual ambition behind the adaptation and their vision of introducing the epic to audiences around the world.

One of the costliest films ever made

The scale of ‘Ramayana’ has attracted attention since it was first announced. According to Malhotra, the two-part adaptation carries a combined production budget of around $500 million, or more than Rs 4,000 crore.

Speaking to Prakhar Gupta, he said, "When we set out to make this six or seven years ago, people thought I was a lunatic because no Indian film comes close to this scale. Put simply, the budget will be around $500 million for both parts combined, which is over Rs 4,000 crore."

He added, "We're making the largest film in the world for the greatest epic that deserves to be seen globally. And yet, I believe we're doing it more efficiently than some of the biggest Hollywood films. We're not being irresponsible-we're being ambitious, but grounded."

Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman join forces

Another major talking point surrounding the film is its music. Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer has teamed up with AR Rahman for the first time, bringing together two globally recognised names for the soundtrack.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Rahman previously said, "It's terrifying for both of us. We're scoring something so iconic and so important to the world. So in the promo, I think he had a soundscape; then I took that and added the Sanskrit words at the end and everything. What's complicated is that we're taking something so epic, which every Indian knows, and we have to give them something new. We have to give something to the world-from India to the world."

A two-part retelling of the epic

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus and global CEO of the Academy Award-winning visual effects company DNEG, ‘Ramayana’ reimagines the ancient Indian epic for the big screen.

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, along with Rakul Preet Singh, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil, Vivek Oberoi and Kunal Kapoor in key roles.

The story follows Rama, regarded in Hindu tradition as an avatar of Lord Vishnu, tracing his exile from Ayodhya and his battle against Ravana.

The first instalment is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release ahead of Diwali 2026, while the second part is planned for Diwali 2027.

(With ANI inputs)