Ramayana premieres at Academy Museum; Tiwari says AI only did lip-sync

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, the big-budget Indian film starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, held its world premiere on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at the David Geffen Theater of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. The invite-only 3D screening came nine days before the film's worldwide release on November 5. At the premiere, director Nitesh Tiwari addressed online speculation about the use of artificial intelligence in the film, saying AI had been used only to match actors' lip movements in the dubbed language versions and that all voices were recorded by real artists. His comments followed producer Namit Malhotra's remark that the film's international versions were created with the help of an AI tool called Brahma AI.

Holding the world premiere at the Academy Museum, the institution of the body that runs the Oscars, is a statement of ambition. Indian films have long premiered in Mumbai, with overseas screenings for the diaspora, but Ramayana's makers are pitching it to a global audience from day one. The film has been promoted as an attempt to set a new benchmark for Indian visual effects, and its makers released an English-language trailer as part of a worldwide campaign.

The AI question shows how quickly the technology has become sensitive in cinema. Dubbing artists in India and abroad have voiced concern that AI-generated voices could take their work, and audiences have grown suspicious of any film that appears to use AI in performances. Tiwari's answer draws a clear line: the voices in each language are human, while AI adjusts the actors' mouth movements on screen so that the dubbed dialogue looks natural. This kind of visual lip-sync is a growing use of AI in global film distribution, because poorly matched dubbing is one of the biggest barriers for viewers watching a film made in another language.

The distinction matters for the industry. If the approach works, it could help Indian films travel more widely in foreign markets without replacing dubbing artists, and it could become standard for other big releases. Critics will be watching whether the results on screen match the claims.

For Indian cinema, the premiere and the film's international rollout test whether a mythological epic made in India can draw global audiences beyond the diaspora.

Short-term: The premiere adds to publicity before the November 5 release, and the director's statement aims to settle doubts about AI among audiences and dubbing artists.

Long-term: If the film's multilingual versions are well received, AI-assisted lip-sync could become a common tool for Indian studios seeking global audiences, while human dubbing remains in place.

Who is affected: Film audiences in India and overseas, dubbing artists and voice actors, Indian studios planning international releases, and visual effects companies working on Indian productions.

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