'Ramayana' called India's 'Lord of the Rings': Producer Namit Malhotra admits Ranbir Kapoor starrer has 'scale' of Hollywood films including 'Avatar', 'Gladiator'

The teaser for 'Ramayana', titled 'Rama', has sparked widespread discussion online, with audiences drawing comparisons to global fantasy franchises following its grand unveiling.'Ramayana' trailer debuts onlineThe much-anticipated teaser, which introduces Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, debuted amid much fan frenzy. Soon after its release, fans flooded social media with reactions. One user wrote, “Incredible!", another said, "Gave me goosebumps.” Still another commented, “Out of the world , what a fab fab first look.” While another added, “This is iconic.” 'Ramayana' creatures compared to 'Lord Of The Rings'Beyond showcasing Kapoor as Lord Rama, the teaser features large-scale action sequences, including battles involving creatures, giants and demons. These visuals prompted some viewers to compare the film to the Hollywood Oscar-winning 'The Lord of the Rings' franchise and its spin-off 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', both known for their depiction of mythical beings and other such creatures of Middle Earth. Namit Malhotra on 'LOTR', 'Avatar' and 'Gladiator' influencePrior to these comparisons, producer Namit Malhotra acknowledged the global influences behind the film at the New York event. “I would tell people, ''Ramayana' is set in the wold of 'Lord of the Rings' and it's an 'Avatar' meets 'Gladiator''. That is said in one line, but if you think about it, it is 'The Lord of the Rings' scale, then you've got 'Avatar' creatures and the world with the humanity and emotion of a 'Gladiator',” he said.See More: 'Ramayana' Teaser: Ranbir Kapoor debuts as Lord Rama with Yash as Ravana in EPIC first glimpse - WATCHNetizens react The comments quickly went viral, triggering mixed reactions among netizens. While some praised the ambition, others were rather critical. One user noted, “never thought Indian cinema was capable of doing movies in Lord of the rings scale.” Another wrote, “I have expected Ramayana as good as lord of the rings but seriously it's not look that good it's gimmicky.” A third added, “#Ramayana first look is DECENT. The ₹4000 Cr budget is NOT AT ALL JUSTIFIED as of now. Hopefully, with future assets, they justify the scale they’ve been claiming comparable to Avatar and The Lord of the Rings.” Another comment read, “Disappointed when you say your movie is on the same level as avatar and lord of the rings than we expect something similar to that interms of quality and visualization, but it was not even 10 percent of avatar and lotr.”The film is set for its relase on Diwali 2026.See More: Months after criticism, Dipika Chikhlia changes stance after Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana teaser: 'Unhone bahut achhe se banaya hai'