Ramayana universe: Namit Malhotra plans spin-offs as Sunny Deol's Hanuman is glimpsed

Producer Namit Malhotra has announced plans to turn Ramayana, the two-part film starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, into a wider "universe" of spin-off projects, at the film's Telugu pre-release event in Hyderabad on Monday, October 19, 2026. The event also gave audiences a glimpse of Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, a role that has been kept largely under wraps. Yash, who plays Ravana, used the stage to ask fans to look past minor visual-effects flaws that have drawn criticism online. Ramayana: Part 1 is due in cinemas worldwide in early November 2026.

Ramayana is one of the most expensive and closely watched Indian films in years. A franchise plan of this kind is common in Hollywood, where studios build connected films, series, games and merchandise around one story world, but it is still rare in Indian cinema. Announcing it before the first film is even released shows how much the makers are betting on the epic's appeal across languages and countries.

The choice of characters for spin-offs is telling. Surpanakha, Ravana's sister; Jatayu, the vulture who fights Ravana to save Sita; Indrajit, Ravana's warrior son; and Angad, the monkey prince who serves as Ram's envoy, all have their own stories in the many tellings of the Ramayana across India and Southeast Asia. Giving them separate projects would let the makers explore episodes that the main films, even across two parts, cannot cover in depth. A standalone Hanuman project would build on one of the most loved figures of the epic.

The Telugu event itself shows how the makers are courting audiences beyond Hindi, holding a separate launch for Telugu viewers ahead of the release. Yash's appeal over visual effects reflects the pressure such films face: audiences have been comparing early footage with Hollywood productions, and online criticism can affect opening-weekend sales.

Short-term: The Hanuman glimpse and the spin-off announcement are likely to increase attention in the final weeks before release, as the makers work to turn early buzz into advance ticket sales in all languages.

Long-term: If Part 1 performs strongly, the planned universe could give Indian cinema its first large franchise built on a mythological epic, with films, series and games over several years. If the film disappoints, the spin-off plans could be scaled back, since none has a confirmed date.

Who is affected: film audiences in India and abroad; the film's producers and distributors; cinema owners counting on a big November release; visual-effects and animation workers; and makers of other mythological films who will watch whether the franchise model works.

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