Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has thrown his weight behind Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious mythological epic Ramayana, expressing confidence that the film has the potential to bring home an Academy Award. Speaking at the inauguration of producer Namit Malhotra’s new Prime One facility in Mumbai, Fadnavis said he would be “very disappointed” if the film failed to win an Oscar, describing it as a cinematic milestone for Indian cinema.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister praised the scale and vision behind Ramayana, which stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Calling it “a film of the millennium”, Fadnavis said the project represents India’s growing ability to create world-class cinema capable of competing on the global stage. “I will be disappointed if the Academy Award doesn’t come to Ramayana,” he said, reflecting his confidence in the film’s international prospects.
Fadnavis made the remarks while inaugurating Prime One, the first phase of Prime Focus Studios’ expansion at Mumbai’s Film City. During his speech, he also spoke about Maharashtra’s ambition to emerge as a global hub for filmmaking and visual effects. He praised producer Namit Malhotra and Prime Focus for investing in world-class filmmaking infrastructure, saying such initiatives would strengthen India’s position in the global entertainment industry.
The Chief Minister’s endorsement comes at a time when anticipation surrounding Ramayana continues to grow. Ever since its first trailer was released, the film has generated widespread discussion for its scale, visual effects and ensemble cast. While many viewers praised its grand visuals and cinematic ambition, others criticised certain creative choices, including the styling of Sai Pallavi’s Sita and Lara Dutta’s Kaikeyi, leading to heated debates across social media.
Fadnavis is not the only prominent figure to predict Oscar success for the film. Veteran actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who portrayed Lord Ram in B.R. Chopra’s television adaptation of the Ramayan, recently described the film as “100% Oscar-worthy” after watching the trailer. He praised director Nitesh Tiwari’s vision and expressed confidence that the film could earn international recognition for its storytelling, production design and technical excellence.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is one of the most expensive films ever mounted in India, with a reported budget of around ₹4,000 crore across its two parts. Produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations and DNEG, the film also features Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari and Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha. The music has been composed by Academy Award winners Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, marking Zimmer’s first collaboration on an Indian film.
The film’s producers have repeatedly stated that Ramayana is being designed not just for Indian audiences but for a global theatrical market. With cutting-edge VFX by the Oscar-winning DNEG team and an international production scale, the makers hope the epic will stand alongside some of the world’s biggest cinematic franchises. Fadnavis’ comments have further amplified those expectations, placing Ramayana among the most closely watched Indian film projects ahead of its release.