Prime Focus Studios founder and DNEG Global CEO Namit Malhotra is taking his ambitious two-part cinematic retelling of the Ramayana into a new dimension with a global partnership with CJ 4DPLEX. While Bollywood Hungama has already reported that Ramayana Part 1 will become the first Indian film to release in SCREENX worldwide, the latest development comes with exclusive comments from the key executives behind the collaboration.
Speaking on the decision to take Ramayana into premium immersive formats, Malhotra said the film was conceived from the very beginning as a global theatrical experience. “From the outset, Ramayana was designed as a global cinematic experience,” said Malhotra. “Our collaboration with CJ 4DPLEX enables us to bring this iconic film in innovative formats that match its scope and vision. SCREENX and 4DX invite audiences to engage with the story in a powerful new way.”
The collaboration will see Ramayana Part 1, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita, released across more than 1,200 SCREENX and 4DX auditoriums globally when it arrives during Diwali 2026.
For CJ 4DPLEX, the scale and visual ambition of Ramayana made it a natural fit for its immersive formats. Jun Bang, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX, believes the film represents precisely the kind of theatrical spectacle for which SCREENX and 4DX were created.
“Ramayana: Part 1 is exactly the type of epic, event-level spectacle that is designed to be experienced through the full immersive capabilities of SCREENX and 4DX,” said Bang.
Don Savant, Chief Business Officer of CJ 4DPLEX, also highlighted the film's combination of scale, emotion and action as the reason it lends itself so strongly to the two premium formats. “We are thrilled to partner with Prime Focus Studios to bring this extraordinary film to global audiences in our premium formats,” said Savant. “With its sweeping scale, emotional depth, and dynamic action, Ramayana Part 1 provides an exceptional canvas for both SCREENX and 4DX.”
The partnership also carries added significance for Indian cinema, with Ramayana Part 1 set to become the first Indian film to debut in SCREENX. The format expands selected sequences onto the auditorium's side walls, creating a 270-degree panoramic field of view and allowing audiences to experience key moments beyond the conventional cinema frame.
Savant believes the film's entry into SCREENX could prove significant for both audiences and exhibitors. “As the first Indian film to debut in SCREENX, it also represents an exciting milestone for audiences and exhibitors alike, building on the tremendous momentum we're seeing for premium theatrical experiences in India,” he added.
The 4DX presentation, meanwhile, will complement the expanded visual canvas of SCREENX with a multisensory experience, using motion-enabled seating and environmental effects such as wind, water, vibration, lighting and scents, synchronised with specially formatted sequences from the film.
The move comes at a time when premium cinema formats are gaining considerable traction in India. Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Brand New Day recently emerged as the highest-grossing SCREENX title in the country, further underlining the growing appetite for large-scale cinematic experiences beyond traditional theatrical presentation.
For Ramayana, however, the ambition extends well beyond merely adding premium formats to its release strategy. The film is being positioned as a global cinematic event, with Dharma Productions handling distribution across North India and Sony Pictures International taking the film to international markets.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Prime Focus Studios and Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana Part 1 features Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Ravie Dubey and Sunny Deol in pivotal roles. The film is scheduled to release globally during Diwali 2026, with Ramayana Part 2 currently in production and slated for a Diwali 2027 release.
With Malhotra describing SCREENX and 4DX as formats that match the film's scope and vision, and CJ 4DPLEX calling it an “epic, event-level spectacle,” the partnership is clearly being positioned as another step in Ramayana's attempt to redefine the scale of the Indian theatrical experience.
Also Read: Did you know: Before Namit Malhotra mounted Ramayana, his father produced Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic Shahenshah
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