AR Rahman posted a photograph with Hans Zimmer on Instagram, thus generating more buzz for their upcoming collaboration on director Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana. The two composers are working together for the first time for the music of Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana. The film also marks the legendary Hollywood composer's first direct work for an Indian film. Notably, a prerecorded score of Zimmer, titled 'To The Moon', is reportedly part of Sonu Sood's Fateh.
Zimmer is revered around the world for his masterful compositions for Hollywood films, most notably Inception and Interstellar from writer-director Christopher Nolan. In a recent interview, Zimmer said that his job entails delivering the type of output that his director cannot imagine rather than merely listening to them and creating exactly what they want. "If the director knows what music he wants, he can do it himself,” the composer said.
Rahman has also expressed similar sentiments regarding his approach to film music and working with directors. In December 2023, Rahman said that he would always try to magnify what the director wants to achieve for a film and simultaneously bring a fresh touch to it. The Oscar winner has mentioned in various interviews that he does not always compose pieces to match specific cuts and shifts in visuals.
Zimmer’s foray into the rich and diverse landscape of Indian storytelling, particularly for an epic like Ramayana, is a monumental event. Fans are looking forward to discovering how his grand, orchestral style will blend with Indian mythological themes. Rahman and Zimmer are expected to deliver a soundtrack that elevates the emotional impact and dramatic scope of Ramayana.
The film also stars Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Kunal Kapoor as Lord Indra, Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari, and Arun Govil as Dashrath. According to reports, the film's cast includes Vivek Oberoi (Vidyutjihva), Lara Dutta (Kaikeyi), and Rakul Preet Singh (Surpanakha). Namit Malhotra is producing the film under his Prime Focus Studios banner, alongside lead actor Yash's Monster Mind Creations. It has Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye as the cinematographers and Huzefa Lokhandwala as the editor. The Oscar-winning studio and Prime Focus Studios subsidiary, DNEG is handling the VFX work. Terry Notary of Avengers and Planet of the Apes fame is handling action choreography, alongside Guy Norris of the recent Mad Max franchise. The film also has production designers Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery (Captain America: Brave New World) onboard.
Ramayana is being made for IMAX, and it has already been touted as one of the costliest ever projects in Indian cinema. It will hit theatres in two parts, on Diwali 2026 and 2027, respectively.
