Ranbir Kapoor is gearing up for the release of his much-anticipated film, Ramayana: Part 1. Director Siddharth P Malhotra, whose grandfather, legendary actor Prem Nath, was Raj Kapoor's brother-in-law, shares a familial connection with the Kapoor family. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, we asked Siddharth whether he had any plans to work with Ranbir and what he thought of Ramayana.
What Siddharth P Malhotra Said
Talking about his equation with Ranbir, he said he was closer to the previous generation of the Kapoor family. He added that while he knows Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor as cousins, he is not particularly close to them. He said, "I know them as cousins. We are family, but we don't have that bond or association that we had with their parents."
When asked about any plans to work with Ranbir, the Hichki director said, "It's a dream to work with Ranbir Kapoor. He's the best actor in the country. But Ranbir Kapoor has the top of the top to choose from; why would he choose me unless I give him something that is beyond what the top of the top can give him? Why would he choose me? So I have to work hard to earn Ranbir Kapoor. He's not going to come easy. Or Alia Bhatt."
He added, "They are the best actors for me, clearly, that we have in the industry, not because they're nepotistic kids, but because they're the best actors. Everybody wants to work with them. So you really are a needle in a haystack trying to get selected by them."
We also asked for his thoughts on Ranbir's look in Ramayana. Expressing his enthusiasm, Siddharth said he is "dying" to watch the film, although his primary reason is Ravi Dubey, followed by Ranbir.
He said, "I am dying to watch it. I love the look, but I love Ravi Dubey in it, because Ravi Dubey is someone I've launched, and Ravi Dubey is a brother to me, and I'm rooting for Ravi in the film, who's playing Lakshman. And I'm excited, and I'm actually watching the film for Ravi first before Ranbir... Because Ravi is a brother to me, a younger brother to me, and he's someone I really love as a human being. So my reason to watch Ramayana is, of course, Ramayana, but it's first for Ravi Dubey."
To note, Siddharth P Malhotra launched Ravi Dubey in the TV industry with Yahan Ke Hum Sikandar.
About Ramayana
Ramayana has reportedly been mounted on a staggering budget of Rs 4,000 crore.
Speaking to Prakhar Gupta, producer Namit Malhotra revealed, "When we set out to make this six or seven years ago, people thought I was a lunatic because no Indian film comes close to this scale. Put simply, the budget will be around $500 million for both parts combined, which is over Rs 4,000 crore."
He added, "We're making the largest film in the world for the greatest epic that deserves to be seen globally. Yet, I believe we're doing it more efficiently than some of the biggest Hollywood films. We're not being irresponsible; we're being ambitious, but grounded."
The film will be released in two parts. The first installment is scheduled to arrive in cinemas worldwide ahead of Diwali 2026, while the second part is slated for release during Diwali 2027.
Also Read: 'Go See Ramayana With King': Ranbir Kapoor Gets Royal Nod From Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Co-Star
