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Hans India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Ravie Dubey shares special moment from ‘Ramayana: Part 1' sets
Actor-producer Ravie Dubey, who will be seen as Lord Lakshmana in the much-anticipated Ramayana: Part 1, recently shared a powerful behind-the-scenes glimpse from the film's sets. Taking to Instagram, Ravie posted a photo featuring himself alongside director Nitesh Tiwari and lead actor Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Lord Ram in the magnum opus. Captioning the post with a poetic tribute, Ravie wrote, 'Dhairya Dhani hai, Mahaguni hai, Vishwa Vijay hai Ram,' which loosely translates to 'Patience is wealth, supreme virtue, and Lord Ram is the conqueror of the world.' He added, 'In the company of legends @niteshtiwari22 sir #ranbirkapoor bhai,' expressing his admiration for the cinematic giants. The buzz around Ramayana: Part 1 has been steadily building since the makers unveiled its first look on July 3. Dominated by cutting-edge CGI crafted by Prime Focus and Oscar-winning VFX house DNEG (best known for Dune), the visual grandeur promises to redefine mythological cinema. The film boasts an ensemble cast with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Raavan, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Amitabh Bachchan as Jatayu, and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi. Dubey's inclusion as Lakshmana adds further depth to this stellar lineup. Legendary music composers A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer are joining forces to create the film's score, marking a rare and historic collaboration. Hollywood stunt masters Terry Notary (Avengers, Planet of the Apes) and Guy Norris (Mad Max: Fury Road) are orchestrating the film's massive action sequences. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is being envisioned as a two-part IMAX spectacle, with Part 1 set for a grand Diwali 2026 release and Part 2 following in Diwali 2027.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
India Reports Over $1.1 Billion in Media Deals at WAVES 2025
India's creative economy ambitions were on full display at WAVES 2025, the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit, where a new government report tallies over $1.1 billion in media and entertainment deals and investment commitments inked during the four-day event. Held in Mumbai from May 1–4 and envisioned and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit convened delegates from more than 100 countries, 3,100 companies, and 100,000 participants spanning film, tech, music, gaming, streaming, and policy. According to the official WAVES 2025 outcome report, released on Friday, the event catalyzed new international partnerships, state-backed infrastructure investments, and large-scale commitments to creator development. More from Variety B. Saroja Devi, Icon of South Indian Cinema, Dies at 87 Shah Rukh Khan Makes Surprise Visit to 'DDLJ' Musical Rehearsals Ahead of U.K. Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) India's JioStar Pours $10 Billion Into Content as Streaming Race Heats Up, Vice Chair Uday Shankar Reveals at WAVES Summit Mumbai, the capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, is home to the Hindi-language Bollywood film industry. The Maharashtra government led the reported deal flow, signing memoranda of understanding worth INR8,000 crore ($930 million), including a INR3,000 crore ($349 million) commitment from Prime Focus to develop a 200-acre Film City. Additional MoUs were signed with the University of York and the University of Western Australia (each INR1,500 crore / $174 million) and Godrej (INR2,000 crore / $232 million) for education and media infrastructure projects. WAVES Bazaar, launched earlier this year as a permanent global marketplace for M&E dealmaking, facilitated INR1,328 crore ($154 million) in business transactions during the summit, according to the report. The platform hosted over 3,000 B2B meetings and recorded seven key international signings. These included a €30 million ($34.9 million) Indo-European co-production pact between India's Broadvision Perspectives and Luxembourg's Fabrique d'Images, and a U.K.-India television series co-development MoU between The Bridge and Graphiti Studios. The Tiger Shroff-starrer 'Jahaan' also drew attention from global distributors. The Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) signed industry partnerships with Apple, Adobe, Microsoft, Meta, Google, Star India, and NVIDIA to support training, rendering, IP development, and job creation in the creative tech space. Meanwhile, the launch of the Nifty WAVES Index, covering 43 listed M&E firms, signaled a push toward tracking the sector's financial performance on Indian stock markets. The summit's 'Create in India Challenge' drew more than 100,000 registrations from 60+ countries and featured 34 creator competitions across animation, music, XR, film, gaming, and digital design. The initiative's finale was hosted at Creatosphere, a talent discovery and innovation zone that the government plans to expand into a year-round platform. Startups took center stage at WaveX, where 30 companies – selected from a pool of 1,500 – pitched to marquee investors including Lumikai Ventures, Mirae Asset, Microsoft, and WarmUp Ventures. The WAVES report notes that 127 startups were connected to investors and partners through the initiative. Among the 140 conference sessions and plenaries were appearances by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, WPP CEO Mark Read, and Reliance Industries chair Mukesh Ambani. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced an INR850 crore ($99 million) commitment to boost India's creator economy, citing the country's scale, multilingual creators, and global reach. 'India isn't just leading in music and film – it's now a creator nation,' Mohan said. The summit also drew major Indian film industry figures including Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Hema Malini, Anupam Kher, and Mithun Chakraborty, many of whom served on the official advisory board or participated in key sessions and cultural events. At the Global Media Dialogue, attended by representatives from 77 nations, the 'WAVES Declaration' was adopted – a joint commitment to ethical AI, digital equity, content integrity, and cross-border cooperation in the creative industries. The cultural programming was equally ambitious. 'Waves of India,' a collaborative album featuring original compositions by Oscar winners M.M. Keeravani and A.R. Rahman, and Meet Bros, was launched on the opening day. Other highlights included classical and folk performances, fusion acts, and international showcases from Mexico, Malaysia, and Indonesia. According to the WAVES report, the summit will now become an annual fixture in February. Components such as WAVES Bazaar and Creatosphere are set to expand into full-time global platforms supporting year-round dealmaking and talent development. As Prime Minister Modi stated at the inaugural session, 'This is the right time to create in India, create for the world.' 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News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Clearly Beyond Us': Namit Malhotra Shares Hans Zimmer's Reaction To Ramayana
Last Updated: Namit was quite appreciative of Hans Zimmer's understanding of the epic and said that he was content that the composer felt passionately about it. Ramayana remains one of the most eagerly anticipated movies so far, and producer Namit Malhotra has promised a never-before-seen visual spectacle. Legendary music composers AR Rahman from India and Hollywood's Hans Zimmer have teamed for the first time for the epic. In a recent podcast with Prakhar Gupta, chairman of DNEG and Prime Focus, Namit Malhitra discussed how Hans Zimmer, composer of The Lion King and Interstellar, reacted to the Indian epic story. During the podcast, Namit recalled that when he began explaining Ramayana to Hans Zimmer, he stopped him midway, saying that he did not want an explanation. When the producer asked the reason, Hans Zimmer said, 'It's clearly something beyond us. You and I don't need to explain it." Namit further quoted him saying: 'You don't have to explain it (Ramayana) to me. Something that has lived through thousands of years, generations of people, and continues to be relevant after all of that time you and I don't need to explain it. Something is there, why it is relevant even today. Let's acknowledge it and let's do the best we can because it's clearly something that's beyond us." Namit was quite appreciative of Hans Zimmer's understanding of the epic and said that he was content that the composer felt passionately about it. Moreover, Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman are big names in the entertainment industry, and Namit shared what it is like to work with the duo. He noted, 'I have sometimes sat there and witnessed the two of them together. I'm like… there is so much mutual respect, so much admiration for each other's work that, as artists, it's actually something to learn from." The teaser for Ramayana, released a few days ago, sets up a vast narrative, of the epic Rama vs Ravana battle. The star cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and KGF actor Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol stars as Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman. The Ramayana is filmed for IMAX and will be released worldwide: Part 1 in Diwali 2026 and Part 2 in Diwali 2027. First Published: July 17, 2025, 15:36 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hans Zimmer asked not to explain Ramayana to him, says Namit Malhotra: ‘He insisted AR Rahman's name should go first'
Ramayana continues to be one of the most anticipated cinematic spectacles in the making, and producer Namit Malhotra is slowly giving fans a glimpse into its ambitious scale. In a recent podcast with Prakhar Gupta, the DNEG and Prime Focus chairman revealed how The Lion King and Interstellar composer Hans Zimmer reacted when he was first introduced to the story of the Indian epic. 'So beautifully put by someone who doesn't know Ramayana' Namit recalled that when he began explaining Ramayana to Zimmer, the latter stopped him midway. 'He asked me not to explain anything,' said Namit. Curious, he asked the composer why. 'Hans replied, 'It's clearly something beyond us. You and I don't need to explain it.'' Expanding on Zimmer's words, Namit quoted him saying: 'You don't have to explain it (Ramayana) to me. Something that has lived through thousands of years, generations of people, and continues to be relevant after all of that time — you and I don't need to explain it. Something is there, why it is relevant even today. Let's acknowledge it and let's do the best we can because it's clearly something that's beyond us.' For Namit, Zimmer's respectful response was humbling. 'I was like that is so beautifully put by someone who doesn't know anything about Ramayana. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Paras Sector 59 Gurgaon | Paras Floret Low-Rise Flats Paras The Florett Book Now Undo But he is giving reverence and saying just the fact that it exists and continues to be relevant... people feel emotionally about it and passionately about it. That's it. I did not need more.' Sunny Deol to Play 'Lord Hanuman' in 'Ramayana'| Gets '15 Minutes of High-Octane Screen Time' When Zimmer insisted AR Rahman's name should go first The mega-budget film brings together two titans of music, Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman, in a rare collaboration that is already being touted as historic. Namit shared what it's like to witness the duo working together: 'I have sometimes sat there and witnessed the two of them together. I'm like... there is so much mutual respect, so much admiration for each other's work that, as artists, it's actually something to learn from. ' He also recalled a touching moment of cultural exchange between the two maestros. While finalising the name placement in the promotional material, Zimmer said Rahman's name should be listed first (on the left). But Rahman gently responded, 'Sir, you are part of our culture. You are our guest. We have invited you into this. So our culture says you come first, I come second.' Ramayana budget crosses Rs 4000 crore Backed by a reported production cost of USD 500 million (over Rs 4000 crore), Ramayana will be released as a duology. The first part, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is eyeing a Diwali 2026 release. Ranbir Kapoor will play Lord Rama, while Yash takes on the role of Ravana, with an ensemble cast that remains under wraps but is expected to include top-tier talent from across the industry.
Pink Villa
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Why did Hans Zimmer say 'don't explain Ramayana to me'? Star composer reacts to story of Ranbir Kapoor, Yash starrer
Ramayana is among the most talked-about projects in the industry. In a recent podcast with Prakhar Gupta, producer Namit Malhotra revealed the film's massive budget and discussed its various aspects, including the casting of Ranbir Kapoor and Yash. The filmmaker also highlighted how Hans Zimmer reacted to Ramayana's story when he approached him for film's background score. Namit Malhotra reveals what Hans Zimmer said about Ramayana Namit, who owns DNEG and Prime Focus, revealed the comment of Hans Zimmer on the Indian epic that stayed with him. He highlighted when he met the Hollywood legend for the project and was explaining to him what Ramayana is, Hans interrupted him and asked him not to explain anything. Wondering, Namit asked what happened, and Hans replied that "it's clearly something beyond us. You and I don't need to explain it." Namit Malhotra underlined what Hans Zimmer told him, 'You don't have to explain it (Ramayana) to me. Something that has lived through thousands of years, generations of people, and continues to be relevant after all of that time. You and I don't need to explain it. Something is there, why it is relevant even today. Let's acknowledge it and let's do the best we can because it's clearly something that's beyond us.' Namit further said, 'I was like that is so beautifully put by someone who doesn't know anything about Ramayana. But he is giving reverence and saying just the fact that it exists and continues to be relevant. People feel emotionally about it and passionately about it. That's it. I did not need more.' Namit Malhotra talks about how Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman respect each other Namit Malhotra explained what it's like seeing the two music maestros together, creating something out of the world. He said, 'I have sometimes sat there and witnessed the two of them together. I'm like…there is so much mutual respect, so much admiration for each other's work that as artists, actually something to learn from.' He further revealed that when they were putting their names in the Ramayana glimpse, Hans said AR's names should be first (on the left). To which, Rahman responded, 'Sir, you are part of our culture. You are our guest. We have invited you into this. So our culture says you come first, I come second.' For the unversed, the production cost of Ramayana duology is USD 500 million (Rs 4000 crore plus). The movie stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Yash as Ravana, besides an ensemble star cast of incredible talents. The first installment is gearing up for the release on Diwali 2026. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
