Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana is now being called India’s most expensive film ever, with reports suggesting its total budget could cross Rs 4,000 crore for both parts together. That is far higher than Baahubali, which was huge for its time but still nowhere close to this scale. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, and Sunny Deol in pivotal roles, Ramayana becomes the most expensive Indian film ever to be made on a large scale. However, let us compare Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana with SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali franchise.
What is the budget of SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali?
If we compare the numbers, Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion together reportedly cost around Rs 430 crore. Even that made SS Rajamouli’s epic one of the biggest productions in Indian cinema history, but Ramayana has now moved into a completely different league.
How much does the Ramayana franchise cost?
The reason Ramayana is so expensive is simple: it is a two-part mythological spectacle with heavy VFX, large sets, star casting, and a scale meant to match the biggest global fantasy films. Reports have suggested that just Part 1 alone was earlier estimated at around Rs 835 crore, while the full project has now been described as a Rs 4,000 crore enterprise.
That means Ramayana is not just bigger than Baahubali; it is many times bigger in cost. It is also being compared with Hollywood’s most expensive franchises, which shows how ambitious the project is. In Indian cinema, no other film has ever been mounted at this level.
Baahubali vs Ramayana: Which is most expensive?
So the answer is clear: Ramayana is currently being positioned as India’s most expensive film ever, and it beats Baahubali by a huge margin. SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali remains a landmark for scale and impact, but Ramayana is setting a new benchmark for budget and ambition in Indian filmmaking. The real test will be whether that massive spending translates into the same kind of audience love, repeat value, and box office success that Baahubali achieved.
Who plays what in Ramayana?
While Ranbir Kapoor is essaying the role of Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi will be seen portraying the role of Sita. KGF star Yash will now be seen as Ravana in this film. Sunny Deol and Ravie Dubey will play the roles of Hanuman and Laxman, respectively. Ramayana will be released worldwide: Part 1 on Diwali 2026 and Part 2 on Diwali 2027.