Karan Johar once again stands firmly behind one of Bollywood’s biggest star families – The Kapoors. Days after passionately defending Alia Bhatt and her latest release Alpha, against online criticism, the filmmaker has now extended his support to Ranbir Kapoor’s much-awaited mythological epic Ramayana. This time, however, his backing goes beyond social media, with Dharma Productions reportedly joining the film as its domestic distributor, signaling its confidence in what is being positioned as one of the biggest Indian cinematic projects ever mounted.
The development comes at a time when Karan has been vocal about the growing culture of online negativity surrounding Bollywood releases. Following Alpha‘s opening weekend, he took to Instagram to congratulate Yash Raj Films, producer Aditya Chopra, and Alia Bhatt, whom he famously considers his “godchild.”
While the film drew mixed reactions from critics and audiences, Karan argued that theatrical footfalls mattered more than social media criticism. He praised Alia’s star power and described her screen presence as “undebatable,” urging people to celebrate cinema instead of “doom-scrolling” through negativity. In his message, he also applauded Yash Raj Films for continuing to build large-scale theatrical franchises despite the industry’s current challenges.
Audience reactions have remained divided. While many viewers praised the film’s action sequences and Alia Bhatt’s performance, others criticized its screenplay for making the story unnecessarily complicated. The film currently has an IMDb rating of 3.1/10, and actress Divya Khosla also appeared to take a swipe at Alia, questioning the film’s reported box-office numbers and alleging that ticket sales had been artificially inflated.
Now, Karan appears to be extending that same vote of confidence to another member of the Kapoor family. According to a report by Variety India, Dharma Productions has come aboard to distribute Ramayana across India.
The partnership reportedly materialized after producer Namit Malhotra screened nearly 30 minutes of exclusive footage for several leading distribution companies while seeking theatrical partners. The preview reportedly generated an overwhelmingly positive response, with Dharma emerging as one of the studios eager to partner on the ambitious project.
Reports further suggest that negotiations initially began at a valuation of around Rs 500 crore before both parties eventually agreed on a deal worth approximately Rs 250 crore. If finalized, Dharma will oversee the film’s domestic release, giving Ramayana a massive nationwide rollout.
Interestingly, Karan’s backing comes at a time when Ranbir Kapoor himself has been facing intense scrutiny on social media, much like Alia did after Alpha. Soon after the first glimpse of Ramayana was released, several old interviews of the actor resurfaced online.
Karan Johar is supporting Ranbir Kapoor despite the backlash surrounding Ramanaya movie
In one widely shared clip, Ranbir had remarked that the Ramayana is an ancient tale that has already been told many times and questioned whether audiences would be interested in watching it again. The comments quickly went viral, with critics accusing him of contradicting his current association with the mythological epic.
Ranbir also faced backlash after appearing in Netflix’s Dining With The Kapoors, where he and other members of the Kapoor family were seen enjoying a meal that included non-vegetarian dishes.
The episode reignited debate because earlier reports had claimed the actor had embraced a strict vegetarian lifestyle, given up alcohol, and quit smoking while preparing to portray Lord Ram. Social media users accused his PR team of creating a misleading narrative about him following a “sattvic” lifestyle purely to strengthen his image ahead of the film’s release.
Fueling the criticism further was the resurfacing of another old interview in which Ranbir had famously described himself as a “big beef guy.” Many online users connected that clip to the Netflix dinner sequence, questioning the authenticity of reports about his physical and spiritual preparation for the role. The renewed criticism once again highlighted how closely every aspect of the actor’s personal life is being examined as anticipation for Ramayana grows.
Despite the online discourse, the makers remain focused on positioning Ramayana as a global cinematic event. Reports suggest that director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra are once again exploring plans to host a grand international premiere in Dubai, following earlier discussions that were paused due to the conflict in West Asia.
Tentatively scheduled for October 28, the event is internally being referred to as the “Desert Premiere.” According to Mid-Day, location scouts have already begun evaluating venues across Dubai, with the city remaining the preferred choice because of its ability to stage large-scale events and its sizeable Indian diaspora. If the plans move forward, the premiere is expected to be attended by Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash and other members of the cast.
Conceived as a two-part adaptation of the Indian epic, Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. The first installment is slated for a Diwali 2026 release, while the second chapter is expected to arrive in 2027. The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Laxman, Adinath Kothare as Bharath, Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Arun Govil as Dashrath, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara and Kunal Kapoor as Lord Indra.
The project’s scale is further amplified by the collaboration between Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, while Warner Bros. is expected to distribute the film internationally. The makers have already unveiled the film’s first official asset in the United States, underscoring their ambition to introduce the epic to audiences worldwide.
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