Mumbai: Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha producer Prakash Mahobiya has said the film will return to cinemas after its brief theatrical run, alleging that negative marketing affected its reach and prevented many potential viewers from watching the film.
In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Mahobiya, who is making his debut as a producer, said the team was disappointed that the film did not get enough time to connect with audiences. He claimed that viewers who watched the film responded positively, but alleged that negative comments circulating online discouraged others from giving it a chance.
The producer also suggested that competition surrounding upcoming films based on the Ramayan could have contributed to the negative buzz. However, he stopped short of directly accusing any particular filmmaker or production house, saying he did not know whether the allegations were true.
The film’s makers are now planning another theatrical release, although a new release date has not yet been announced.
Producer alleges negative marketing affected film
Mahobiya claimed that Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha faced negative marketing during its theatrical run and that the campaign affected the film’s ability to reach its intended audience.
He said people who managed to watch the film largely responded positively, but argued that the film could not generate a fair audience opinion if potential viewers were discouraged from entering theatres.
“It was negative marketing throughout. We never got a chance to reach our audience,” Mahobiya said, adding that those who watched the film “really enjoyed it”.
According to the producer, the biggest disappointment was not necessarily the financial loss but the limited number of people who got an opportunity to watch the film.
He said the makers now want to give the film another chance through a fresh theatrical release.
Mahobiya hints at possible paid negative publicity
The producer also alleged that negative information about the film may have been circulated through YouTubers, influencers and other online platforms.
Mahobiya claimed that he had been told there were “negative marketing opportunities” being offered to people who were subsequently spreading what he described as incorrect information and asking audiences not to watch the film.
He further suggested that competition between films based on the Ramayan could have been a factor.
However, when specifically asked whether he was accusing the team behind Nitesh Tiwari and Namit Malhotra’s upcoming Ranbir Kapoor-starrer of carrying out such a campaign, Mahobiya did not make a direct accusation.
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s what we are being told,” he said.
The allegation has not been independently established, and Mahobiya’s comments should therefore be viewed as his account of what he believes affected the film’s theatrical performance.
Makers want audiences to judge the film
Mahobiya said the team’s primary objective now is to ensure that audiences get an opportunity to watch the film before forming an opinion about it.
He acknowledged that he is a newcomer to film production and said the experience has been a learning process.
The producer said he was less concerned about recovering the losses from the first theatrical run than about ensuring that the film reaches a larger audience.
“I have made a film for the first time, and I am new to this industry. I have no idea how to market a film after making it,” he said.
Mahobiya added that the team was not afraid of the financial loss but was disappointed that relatively few people managed to watch the film.
That disappointment, he said, was the main reason behind the decision to bring the movie back to cinemas.
Film to return without reshoots for now
The makers are not currently planning major reshoots for Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha.
Mahobiya said the film is expected to return largely in its existing form, with the team instead focusing on giving it another opportunity to connect with audiences.
A new release date has not been finalised.
The producer said the team already has a plan for the second theatrical attempt and will proceed once the release strategy and date are settled.
The decision to avoid reshoots indicates that the makers believe the primary challenge was the film’s reach rather than the need to substantially alter its content.
Makers seek feedback from audiences
Following the initial release, the team reportedly sought feedback from audiences in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Mahobiya claimed that viewers who watched the film in these regions responded positively.
The feedback has encouraged the makers to pursue another theatrical release rather than abandoning the project after its initial run.
The producer said the team wants audiences to make their own assessment after watching the film instead of relying on comments or online discussions.
The re-release will therefore give the makers another opportunity to build word-of-mouth around the project.
Mahobiya compares film with Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan
The producer also acknowledged the difficulty of making a new screen adaptation of one of India’s best-known epics.
He said the team was not attempting to recreate Ramanand Sagar’s iconic Ramayan television series, which remains deeply associated with the epic in popular culture.
“We are learning; it’s our first experience,” Mahobiya said, while expressing satisfaction with what the team had created.
He explained that the intention was to make a film celebrating the Ramayan that the makers themselves had grown up watching.
The producer also stressed that Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha would be different from the larger upcoming production based on the same subject.
According to Mahobiya, the two projects have significant differences in their approach and scale.
Upcoming Ramayan films add to competition
The release of Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha comes amid growing interest in large-scale cinematic adaptations of the Ramayan.
Nitesh Tiwari is directing an ambitious adaptation associated with Ranbir Kapoor, while Namit Malhotra is among the producers involved with the project. The upcoming film has generated considerable interest because of its scale and star cast.
Mahobiya said his own project had been announced before the Ranbir Kapoor-led film and claimed that shooting on Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha had already begun by the time the later project was announced.
The producer therefore believes his film should be judged independently rather than being viewed solely in comparison with another adaptation.
However, he acknowledged that both projects are based on the same epic and are likely to attract attention from audiences interested in cinematic interpretations of the Ramayan.
Anjali Arora leads the cast
Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha features Anjali Arora, Dev Sharma and Rajneish Duggal in lead roles.
The film attempts to bring the familiar epic narrative to the big screen through a contemporary cinematic format while drawing on the cultural familiarity of the Ramayan.
For the first-time producer, the film has also become an early lesson in the challenges of filmmaking, theatrical distribution and promotion.
Mahobiya’s decision to re-release the film indicates that the team remains confident in the project despite its initial theatrical performance.
Re-release will test audience response
The makers now face the challenge of turning their second theatrical opportunity into a stronger audience connection.
A fresh release could give the film a chance to benefit from renewed publicity and word-of-mouth, particularly if audiences who have already watched it continue to recommend it.
However, the success of the re-release will ultimately depend on audience interest and the film’s ability to attract viewers in a competitive market.
For now, the makers have not announced a new release date, and there is no confirmed plan for reshoots.
Mahobiya remains confident that the film deserves another opportunity. His stated priority is to ensure that audiences get the chance to watch Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha and form their own opinion about the film.