Ramayana first cut screened in Los Angeles; audience heaps praise on scale, visual effects and rooted storytelling

Ramayana test screening held in LA

Now, early reactions suggest that the makers may have delivered on that promise. According to a report by The Week, the first-ever screening of Ramayana was held on Monday evening  in Los Angeles, USA, at the Cinemark Playa Vista theatre. The special showcase was arranged for a select audience ranging from 18 to 60 years of age.  And initial responses from the screening have reportedly been overwhelmingly positive. Viewers are said to have praised the gargantuan scale of the film, its ground-breaking visual effects, and its commitment to rooted storytelling.  The report further clarified that what was screened was only the first cut of the film, sort of a test experiment, as the film continues to evolve ahead of its theatrical release this Diwali.

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Mounted at Rs 4,000 crore

Producer Malhotra has reportedly invested approximately Rs 4,000 crore into the ambitious epic. Speaking last year about the challenges of mounting a film of this magnitude, he revealed, “The shooting for Part 1 is almost over now. When I started planning the film, we had a huge vision. Everyone, including actors, asked me if I have enough funds to pull it off. I’ve finished the first film and not borrowed a single rupee. I don’t know where the money is coming from. When people ask me how I pulled it off, even I don’t know. This is something else. It’s just happening on its own. This is not just a project or a business proposition,” he said on the Game Changers podcast.

He further added, “People ask me what my final budget is going to be, I don’t know. I don’t check that every day. I just see if we’re making the right product. There should be no compromise anywhere.”

Ramayana is envisioned as a two-part epic, with the second installment slated for a Diwali release next year.