Ramayana: Part 1 Granted Tax-Free Status in West Bengal Ahead of Theatrical Release
In a major boost for Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming epic Ramayana: Part 1, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that the film will be made tax-free across the state.
Speaking to news agency ANI, the Chief Minister confirmed the tax exemption for the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer, linking the decision to previous cultural and historical films like The Kerala Story, The Kashmir Files, and The Bengal Files. He also hinted at a broader trend of mythological storytelling in Indian cinema:
“The Ramayana film has been made tax-free. The Kerala Story, The Kashmir Files and The Bengal Files, all of these will be or have been made tax-free, and the same will apply to ‘Ramayana’. In the days to come, we will see films on Shri Krishna and Arjuna, as well as the Mahabharata,” he stated.
The tax-free declaration is expected to lower ticket prices and increase audience accessibility across Kolkata and other key markets in West Bengal.
Grand Scale and Legendary Ensemble
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and co-written with Shridhar Raghavan, Ramayana: Part 1 adapts the ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to Valmiki. The film brings Prince Rama’s exile and divine journey to the screen on an unprecedented scale.
The multi-starrer features a stellar cast:
- Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama
- Sai Pallavi as Sita
- Yash as Ravana
- Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman
- Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana
- Arun Govil (iconic TV Rama from 1987) as King Dasharatha
The ensemble also includes Anupam Kher (Maharishi Vashistha), Kajal Aggarwal (Mandodari), Rakul Preet Singh (Surpanakha), Vivek Oberoi (Meghnada), Kunal Kapoor (Lord Indra), Lara Dutta (Kaikeyi), and Adinath Kothare (Bharata).
International Musical Collaboration and Production
Mounted by producer Namit Malhotra alongside visual effects studio DNEG and Yash, the project features cutting-edge visual effects. The film’s score represents a landmark international collaboration, co-composed by Oscar-winners A. R. Rahman and renowned Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer. The tax-free status in West Bengal adds further momentum to the film’s highly anticipated release.
