Ram katha shuru

Nitesh Tiwari and Ranbir Kapoor

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayan, led by Ranbir Kapoor, is easily the most anticipated project in Bollywood. Following over a year of scripting, casting and prep, it is almost time for the filmmaker to take his ambitious venture - that sees Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana - on floors. We hear the magnum opus is set to roll on March 2 in Film City, Goregaon. A source reveals, "The cast and crew were recently informed that March 2 is the big day. Nitesh sir has charted out a long schedule in Film City. In the first part of the leg, Ranbir and Sai will shoot the dialogue-heavy scenes. The major crowd sequences, including some war portions, will be shot in April and May. The idea is to wrap these scenes before the monsoons hit the city."

Tiwari and the Oscar-winning VFX company, DNEG, which is also co-producing the project, have meticulously crafted the on-screen world of the epic. Months of prep have included 3D scans and look tests with the lead cast. Next month, Kapoor is slated to visit the Los Angeles office of DNEG for a tech rehearsal. The source adds, "In the first few weeks of the shoot, the makers will also be flying down expert technicians from Los Angeles to help them get familiar with the process." The first instalment of the trilogy is scheduled to release in the second half of 2025.