India’s Reliance Animation Academy and Tenali Rama Animation have unveiled “Ravana – The Lost Battle with Shri Ram,” one of India’s first student-led theatrical feature films, to be produced through an industry-education partnership.
The project centers on Ravana, the many-headed demon king whose abduction of the princess Sita sets in motion the climactic war at the heart of “The Ramayana” – one of Hinduism’s foundational epics, attributed to the sage Valmiki and revered across South and Southeast Asia. Where most adaptations cast Ravana as a straightforward villain, the film aims to present a more complex reading of the character. The epic has inspired countless screen iterations, from the 1993 Indo-Japanese animated co-production directed by Yugo Sako, Ram Mohan and Koichi Sasaki – re-released in 4K in India in 2025 – to Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming big-budget live-action adaptation starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and Yash as Ravana, due in cinemas for Diwali 2026.
The new project will be made using a hybrid AI and 3D animation pipeline, with selected students from Reliance Animation Academy working across production under the guidance of industry professionals. The Film and Television Institute of India will serve as academic and creative mentor, running an intensive five-to-seven day workshop as part of the collaboration. A summer 2027 theatrical release is targeted, with television and streaming to follow.
Reliance Animation Studios is producing with Tenali Rama Animation as co-producer. The film draws directly from the “Srimad Valmiki Ramayana” text.
“Instead of learning only through classroom assignments, students will participate in the creation of a real feature film,” said Tejonidhi Vidyasagar Bhandare, CEO of Reliance Animation, who conceived the initiative. “‘Ravana – The Lost Battle with Shri Ram’ is an opportunity to combine storytelling, technology, and education in a way that prepares students for the global animation industry while bringing Indian mythology to life for modern audiences.”
Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO of Reliance Entertainment, said the project “reinforces India’s potential to emerge as a global hub for high-quality hybrid animation models and storytelling.”
Radha Radhakrishnan, co-founder and CEO of Tenali Rama Animation, said the film aims to deliver “a visually rich and compelling cinematic experience rooted in ‘Srimad Valmiki Ramayana,’” adding that the collaboration reflects “a larger commitment to mentor emerging animation talent and strengthen a meaningful creative ecosystem for the future.”
The production is targeting audiences across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the global Indian diaspora. Students involved are expected to graduate with professional production credits.
Reliance Animation Studios has previously produced the “Little Krishna” TV series, theatrical feature “Krishna aur Kans,” and animated series “Little Singham,” “Golmaal Jr.” and “Smashing Simmba” in association with filmmaker Rohit Shetty. Bengaluru-based Tenali Rama Animation, incubated at the N.S. Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB-NSRCEL), creates content drawn from Indian epics and scriptures across animation, books, gaming and immersive formats.
variety.com
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