The upcoming film Ramayana: Part One aims to bring one of India’s most enduring epics to the big screen on a scale designed for audiences in India and overseas. A key part of that ambition is the visual effects work being undertaken by DNEG, the studio led by Namit Malhotra, alongside ReDefine, another company within the Prime Focus Group.

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Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Prime Focus Studios in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, the film features Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshmana. The adaptation is planned as a two-part release, with the first instalment scheduled for November 2026 and the second for 2027, according to the supplied report.

Translating the epic into a cinematic experience presents challenges beyond conventional set design and filming. The story moves through vast landscapes and mythological locations, including Ayodhya and Lanka, while featuring large-scale battles and extraordinary characters. Visual effects can help build digital environments, extend physical sets, enhance action sequences and blend computer-generated imagery with actors’ performances.

The production also involves specialists in design and action choreography. Production designers Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery, alongside action choreographers Terry Notary and Guy Norris, contribute to the wider filmmaking process. The film’s planned IMAX presentation adds another technical consideration: visual environments and effects must remain convincing when viewed on a very large screen.

DNEG’s collaboration with ReDefine reflects the scale and specialisation required for major visual-effects productions. Work such as digital modelling, animation, lighting and compositing must be coordinated with cinematography, physical performances and colour grading to create a coherent final image.

The wider Prime Focus technology ecosystem also includes Brahma AI and research into real-time production workflows. While such technologies may support selected creative and post-production tasks, the precise methods used for individual Ramayana sequences have not been fully disclosed.

DNEG has worked on major international productions, including Inception, Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049 and both Dune films. Its experience provides a substantial visual-effects background for a project seeking to combine Indian mythology with large-scale global filmmaking