Ramayana: Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman Compose the Score for the Indian Epic

Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman are building a score for Ramayana that attempts to reconcile two worlds, preserving a very specific cultural identity within a film conceived for a truly international scale.

With the final trailer for Ramayana, Nitesh Tiwari’s epic enters the decisive phase of its international campaign, offering a clearer view of the film’s scale, tone and central conflict.

During the presentation of Ramayana in Bengaluru today, October 16, A.R. Rahman described working with Hans Zimmer as the meeting of two worlds. The phrase may sound promotional, but in this case it points to a concrete musical problem.

The aim is to preserve the soul of India in the score without giving up a language capable of accompanying an epic destined to travel well beyond its home market.

Ramayana: the plot and cast of Nitesh Tiwari’s epic

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is the first installment of a two-part film adaptation directed by Nitesh Tiwari and written for the screen by Shridhar Raghavan together with the director.

The new international trailer focuses on the conflict between Rama and Ravana: the latter is presented as a force capable of threatening not just the human world but the divine one too, while Rama is significantly introduced as a man called upon to shoulder a responsibility greater than his own individual existence. The story therefore returns to the core of the Sanskrit epic, with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman set to occupy central positions as the narrative unfolds.

The cast brings together some of contemporary Indian cinema’s most recognizable figures. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi is Sita, and Yash, star of the KGF saga, takes on the role of Ravana. Alongside them are Ravie Dubey as Lakshmana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Kunal Kapoor as Indra.

Ramayana, Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman: a score built from orchestra, Indian tradition and Sanskrit

In September, Variety India reported on sessions at Air Lyndhurst Studios in London, where Zimmer and Rahman worked with director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra and the Chamber Orchestra of London.

The London sessions give the score the scale of a major international production, but apply it to narrative, religious and musical material far older than the cinema now trying to represent it.

Zimmer developed some initial soundscapes, which Rahman built on by introducing elements of Indian tradition and Sanskrit verses. It is a more interesting structure than the usual layering of symphonic orchestra and local color: here, the attempt seems to be to allow two sonic grammars to coexist without reducing one to decoration for the other.

The musical material already released also hints at this direction. The introductory theme for Ramayana brings together the names of Zimmer, Rahman and Kumar Vishwas, while the promotional material features choir, Indian instruments and orchestral writing.

Ramayana targets the global market: IMAX, ScreenX and an Italian release

Sony Pictures International is leading the worldwide launch, while in India the rights to the first film have been acquired by Dharma Productions.

The film will also arrive in IMAX, 3D, ScreenX and 4DX: according to Variety India, it will be the first Indian title released worldwide in ScreenX.

The international release is set for November 5, 2026; in Italy, Eagle Pictures will release it on November 19 under the title Ramayana: La nascita di una leggenda.

The second installment will complete the adaptation in 2027.