The makers of Ramayana: Part 1, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, have submitted the movie for independent consideration at the 99th Academy Awards after crossing Rs 800 crore globally.
The makers of director Nitesh Tiwari’s cinematic epic Ramayana: Part 1, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, have submitted the film for independent consideration at the 99th Academy Awards, following a Rs 800 crore global box office run.
The submission operates as an independent entry across general Academy Award categories rather than India’s official entry. As reported by WION and Mid-Day, the Film Federation of India selected the Marathi film Gondhal as the nation's official submission for the International Feature Film category. Consequently, the team behind Ramayana: Part 1 is pursuing an independent route to put the movie in contention across main categories, including Best Picture and technical disciplines.
Independent Oscar Route and Eligibility Rules
To qualify for general Academy Award categories such as Best Picture and technical honors at the 99th Academy Awards, independent entries must undergo mandatory qualifying theatrical runs in designated metropolitan areas across the United States. Reports by Gulf News confirm the producers are pursuing this path to place the film in contention for main awards.
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By entering as an independent candidate rather than competing as India's official selection in the International Feature Film category—which belongs to Gondhal—the project must strictly fulfill standard release guidelines set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including mandatory theatrical screenings in key American markets.
Rs 800 Crore Box Office and First-Week Record
The awards initiative comes on the heels of major commercial success worldwide. The film shattered box office records by surpassing Rs 800 crore in global box office collections within its first week of release in November 2026.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the movie stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravana, and Sai Pallavi as Sita, chronicling Lord Ram's early life through his 14-year exile. Accumulating over Rs 800 crore worldwide during its opening week helped establish the global visibility necessary to support an international campaign in the United States.
Oscar-Winning Talent and VFX Scale
Jointly produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios and Yash's Monster Mind Creations, the project brings together major visual and musical talent. The film's expansive visual effects are handled by eight-time Oscar-winning VFX studio DNEG, providing the heavy technical backing required for global visual scale.
On the music front, the soundtrack features a historic collaboration between two Academy Award-winning composers, Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, according to reports by The Indian Express. The pairing combines international scoring experience with traditional Indian soundscapes, forming a key pillar of the film's campaign for technical and musical Oscar categories.
What Lies Ahead for the Oscar Campaign
Ahead of the campaign, the production team will execute required theatrical screenings in select U.S. markets to meet Academy voting timelines prior to the 99th Academy Awards ceremony.
As Oscar voting approaches, the independent strategy aims to engage voters across multiple branches, leveraging the film's Rs 800 crore box office performance, DNEG's VFX pedigree, and the musical contributions of Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman to contend in general categories.
