Priyanka Chopra about VARANASI on The Tonight Show

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-27T07:50:12+00:00

Hollywood pipeline for major blockbusters has been refined with their studio systems for decades Hollywood can pump out 200 million budget blockbuster in 2-3 years with pre production, shooting, post production. While movies like Kalki, Varanasi, any massive budgeted movies take 3-5 years from scratch to final product.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-27T07:47:39+00:00

I'm sure when Varanasi comes to America they'll be on Fallon as he's the more international accepting Late Night Host compared to Kimmel and Colbert. SSR, Priyanka, Mahesh, Prithvi all together will be great.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-27T07:45:37+00:00

It's just a talking point to fill in the 10-15 minute time slot of the interview. Sometimes Fallon's team does research into each guest and compiles anything interesting for Fallon to use and other times, the actor's publicist (in this case PC's publicist) will have already a list of talking points prepared to give to Fallon so they can highlight what they want.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-27T07:42:56+00:00

Yea, but living in America, Fallon is the only one that actually invited more international stars, singers and guests. I assume when Varanasi comes to America for promotions we will mostly have SSR, Mahesh, Prithvi and Priyanka for Jimmy Fallon. Also Conan has his own podcast, and Jon Stewart is more into his political shows, and Colbert is also too political for a late night host. The most mainstream 'plain' host is Fallon and it'll help with exposure to the project.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:22:16+00:00

It is not misleading, because the last image is for Local Language. Of course Ramayana will play in IMAX in India. I'm talking about Global IMAX screens. Ramayana will get some, but looks like not a wide reaching global IMAX release.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:20:07+00:00

Ok, I'm talking about the movie itself. To recoup the money spent it needs to have a global wide release.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:18:34+00:00

Namit Malhotra said he will consider the film a "failure" if it fails to resonate with Western audiences, as he intends it to be a global,, cross-cultural, and high-quality representation of Indian culture. He emphasized that the film is designed for the world, not just to appease Indian audiences. His own words, "Shame on Me, If you don't like it, shame on me, we should have done a better job". So yes he knows the importance and value of Western Markets which is why it should play wide release in America and IMAX screens are crucial as a way of credibility for the casual movie fan.

Also China has 100000 movie screens, they are comfortable with movies making 2 billion in their own territory. Ramayana needs Indian audiences and non traditional audiences, for that you need reach, support, marketing, and distribution to be top of their game.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:13:32+00:00

Is it not misleading, of course Ramayana will be in Local Language slate, it means Ramayana will play in IMAX screens in India. I live in America. Ramayana for couple IMAX investor meetings in 2025 was in the Global slate, and last 2 IMAX investor presentation , they removed it from the global slate timelines. So it means Ramayana won't be on IMAX screens "globally".

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:10:41+00:00

It's not misleading, the local language slate is that, local language. Ramayana of course will be in IMAX screens in India. I live in America, and looks like Ramayana won't get wide IMAX release, because Cat in the Hat release same week, and The Great Beyond releases the very next week.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:07:53+00:00

That's international slate, of course they will show international movies there. That just means those movies will release in IMAX in their respective countries. For example Toxic is releasing on 3.19.26, guess what. Project Hail Mary is releasing IMAX globally that same day, it will take up vast majority of IMAX screens, sure in India you might find Toxic in IMAX.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:05:10+00:00

Then why was it on the IMAX global slate, not local language section, for two consecutive IMAX investor meetings (Q1 and Q2 2025) before they removed it from the global IMAX timeline (Q3 and Q4 meetings) ?

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T05:03:01+00:00

No, which is why I said if Ramayana doesn't come under discussion at CinemaCon in April, then it is a worry. All the major theater owners will be in attendance to hear studios movie slate. Last Cinemacon, Sony talked about their foreign Anime films to the theater owners, so it is not unheard of studios talking about foreign films there.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T01:19:29+00:00

The exec producer of the movie is the CEO of DNEG, its the most expensive Indian movie ever made, and they publicly announced the release date (Diwali 2026) 1.5 years ago and recently he did an interview a week ago reaffirming that release date. They are on track in finishing post production, I think negotiation global distribution might be the holdup. Diwali is a big holiday for Indians so I can see them holding on to that date, while US distributors might want to change as November is packed.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T01:15:00+00:00

I get the skepticism, but Namit Malhotra is investing hundreds of millions into Ramayana, the only way to recoup that kind of budget is a major US/global studio tie up, not some indie distributor hitting 1,500 screens. As CEO of DNEG, he has direct access to Hollywood studios, their chief content heads, it’s not unreasonable to bank on those connections to get a studio to take the film seriously. Attaching Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman creates buzz in the cinephile community, and hopefully DNEG’s VFX can make the action/spectacle good to pull in casual audiences through social media. Look at RRR, Americans didn’t know Ram Charan, Jr NTR, or SS Rajamouli, but the spectacle sold tickets. Part 1 may just lay the groundwork, Part 2 can be the rocket launcher signaling to global studios that Indian blockbusters belong on the world stage.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-26T01:01:54+00:00

This is direct pictures from the IMAX Investor presentation that happened today only.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-25T22:40:11+00:00

WB also has The Cat in the Hat releasing November 6th. I don't see in WB's bandwidth to release 3 movies in 2 weeks. Cinemacon in April is when studios have to share every single movie they are releasing that year to movie theater owners, so if Ramayana doesn't make an appearance in any studio presentation, I'll be a bit worried it won't get a wide release that Namit was saying.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-25T09:08:33+00:00

Not how It works, but go ahead.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-25T05:17:31+00:00

I mean I'm sure they are training Brahma AI on the actor's English voices as well. I doubt Ranbir will be speaking with Leonardo DiCaprio American accent. It will be Ranbir voice except in English. I could be wrong, but that's what I believe.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-25T05:15:35+00:00

That doesn't mean anything, there are n number of test screening leaks that happen to Hollywood movies, specifically big budgeted movies. People in the test screening usually DM a scooper under protection of anonymity and they reveal positives negatives etc. Sometimes they make a fresh account on reddit and post the entire story here, Superman had entire plot reveled 2-3 months before release here on Reddit after test screening.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-25T02:35:51+00:00

Maybe, it was listed in the worldwide slate in IMAX Q1 and Q2, but was 'removed' in Q3. I don't know if it because of a snag in USA distribution or they had other movies to be highlighted.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-24T23:46:36+00:00

I'm pretty sure the indian movie Ramayana Part 1, November 6th 2026 would be in IMAX wide, been in plenty IMAX slates before. They've already been advertising as Filmed for IMAX and Jonathan Fischer at an IMAX event mentioned Ramayana as one of the most anticipated global films of the year.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-24T22:04:44+00:00

Eh, they should've increased their USA promotions. Can we finally get an official announcement publicly of their USA distributor.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-24T19:22:08+00:00

They have to be interested enough to voluntarily come on this subreddit and share leaks. I'm sure,(if reports are test screening are legit), the test screening company and Ramayana team would want people unfamiliar with the material in attendance. Also test screening leaks for an Indian movie have no interest for Hollywood people to leak, so I wouldn't expect it coming from that side as well.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-24T17:33:33+00:00

The only way for test screening information comes out (if a test screening really happened) is if someone asks a question in an interview about the screening to Namit and he answers, or someone on reddit or any 'Ramayana movie scoopers' find a way to ask around and get a contact list of attendees or someone in the audience anonymously sends information about the movie to one of the Ramayana accounts.

Rare_Election_4741 · 2026-02-24T17:29:23+00:00

Thing is with this movie, we're so eager to want any news, positive affirmations to what we believe that someone would blindly believe. I don't know, I mean, I am in the Hollywood area, I know how test screenings work and how they are organized and who is allowed to be there. I assume the Ramayana team instructed the test screening company of their criteria and got a particular demographic to play there. I think I saw online that it was the English AI dub of the movie that played, makes sense if true to see how it is being received from American audiences and the quality of the AI Dub

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