Latest news with #TheLegendofRama
India.com
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Rs 50 crore Ramayana that never happened! Hrithik Roshan was set to play Ram, Amitabh Bachchan as..., film was shelved due to...
Did you know, in the year 2008, veteran filmmaker Sanjay Khan sought to bring the Ramayana to the big screen with a Rs 50 crore project titled The Legend of Rama. Known for his mythological TV successes—Jai Hanuman, Jai Mahabharat, and The Sword of Tipu Sultan—Khan had ambitious dreams of a high-velocity, Shakespearean-style epic. Cast that almost was The project aimed to cast Bollywood royalty: Hrithik Roshan as Lord Rama Zayed Khan as Lakshman Amitabh Bachchan as King Dashrath Zayed himself confirmed to Mumbai Mirror, 'Yes, my father is indeed making the Ramayan. … And who but Hrithik could be the perfect choice for the role?' Co-writer Farrukh Dhondy added, 'When you do a Mahabharat, Ramayan or any other scripture, … I'm trying to rationalise the ways of the Gods. Hrithik is the perfect Ram, and Zayed the perfect Laxman.' Despite a ready screenplay blending mythic grandeur with Lord of the Rings-style dynamics, the film never made it to production. Now, another Ramayana is all set to hit screens Fast forward to 2025, and Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana emerges—with its first glimpse already making waves. Ranbir Kapoor as Rama Yash as Ravana Sai Pallavi as Sita Sunny Deol as Hanuman Ravie Dubey as Lakshman Backed by AR Rahman & Hans Zimmer soundtracks and heavy-duty VFX, the teaser is already drawing praise for outshining even Adipurush. The epic is planned across two parts, releasing Diwali 2026 and 2027. The 2008 attempt by Sanjay Khan remains a fascinating 'what-if' in Bollywood history—an ambitious film that never left the station. Today, with an A-list cast, multi‑crore budget, and next-gen visuals, Tiwari's version might finally bring the Ramayana into the cinematic stratosphere. The epic's eternal appeal Whether The Legend of Rama had materialised or not, its spirit lives on. In every attempt—failed or successful—lie echoes of ambition, faith, and the everlasting allure of a story that shaped generations.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Hrithik as Ram, Amitabh as Dashrath: Years before Ranbir Kapoor-Yash film, this mega Ramayana was planned, yet shelved
Before Om Raut's Adipurush or Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming Ramayana, there was an ambitious plan to bring the epic to life on the big screen. While Prabhas's portrayal of Lord Rama in Adipurush faced significant criticism and failed at the box office, fans have high expectations from Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's adaptation. However, not many know that even before these films, Ramayana was planned for the big screen with stars like Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan. Before Nitesh Tiwari, another filmmaker wanted to make Ramayana with Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan. Sanjay Khan wanted to make Ramayana Back in 2008, filmmaker and actor Sanjay Khan envisioned a modern adaptation of the Ramayana, with a reported budget of ₹50 crore. Known for directing successful mythological and historical TV series like Jai Hanuman, Jai Mahabharat, The Sword of Tipu Sultan, and The Great Maratha, Sanjay Khan was deeply passionate about bringing the epic to the silver screen. According to a 2008 report in Mumbai Mirror, the film was titled The Legend of Rama and was to be co-scripted by Sanjay Khan and UK-based author Farrukh Dhondy. The proposed cast included his then son-in-law Hrithik Roshan as Lord Rama, his son Zayed Khan as Lakshman, and Amitabh Bachchan as King Dashrath. Zayed Khan confirmed Sanjay Khan making Ramayana In an interview with Subhash K Jha for Mumbai Mirror in 2008, Zayed Khan confirmed the film, saying, 'Yes, my father is indeed making the Ramayan. It's called The Legend of Rama. He has been planning this film for the last three years and looking for a perfect actor to play Ram. And who but Hrithik could be the perfect choice for the role?' Co-writer Farrukh Dhondy added, 'It's Ramayan in modern format, and the script is ready. This means it will be the Ramayan in The Lord Of The Rings genre. The screenplay has the motion, motivation and movement of a Shakespearean play. When you do a Mahabharat, Ramayan or any other scripture, the danger is it just becomes—'the Gods did this, the Gods did that,' because the Gods can do anything they like. That's why you are taught in writing school never to include Gods in your creativity. I'm trying to rationalise the ways of the Gods. Hrithik is the perfect Ram, and Zayed the perfect Laxman.' Despite the vision and planning, the project was ultimately shelved and never went into production. Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana The makers recently unveiled a striking first glimpse of Ramayana, featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Yash as Ravana. What caught the audience's attention was not only the character designs but also the high-quality VFX and the powerful background score composed by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. The teaser has drawn comparisons to Adipurush, with many viewers calling it far superior. Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana also stars Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The film is set to release in two parts—one during Diwali 2026 and the second during Diwali 2027.
