Top News

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.