Yash on Ramayana: 'We don't just tell the story, we pass it down for generations'
Synopsis
At the Ramayana premiere inside Hollywood's Academy Museum, Yash didn't just promote a film — he made a civilisational argument. His remarks about India's tradition of remembering and passing down stories reframe the epic not as content but as cultural custodianship. With his dual role as star and co-producer, Yash is betting that KGF-scale conviction can carry a mythology to a global audience.
Key Takeaways
Yash plays Lankesh in the upcoming epic 'Ramayana' , directed by Nitesh Tiwari , releasing worldwide on 5 November 2026 .
The film's global premiere was held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on 28 October 2026 .
Yash described the Ramayana as a story that has 'travelled for thousands of years,' emphasising India's tradition of passing narratives across generations.
Producer Namit Malhotra confirmed Yash is also a co-producer through his banner Monster Mind Creations .
Co-stars Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi attended the LA premiere alongside director Tiwari and Yash's wife Radhika Pandit .
Kannada superstar Yash, who portrays the role of Lankesh in the eagerly awaited epic 'Ramayana', has reflected on India's civilisational identity as a storytelling culture, speaking at the film's grand global premiere in Los Angeles on 28 October 2026. His remarks at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures drew wide attention as the Indian film industry prepares to take one of its most sacred narratives to a worldwide theatrical audience on 5 November 2026.
A Historic Red Carpet Moment
Yash arrived at the Los Angeles premiere alongside director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra, and co-stars Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi. Walking the red carpet with his wife Radhika Pandit, the actor was greeted with thunderous chants from fans gathered outside the venue — a rare sight at a Hollywood museum premiere for an Indian film.
What Yash Said About India's Storytelling Heritage
Addressing the audience at the premiere, Yash drew a distinction between conventional storytelling and the way India has preserved its epics across millennia. “Where you start can never define how far you can go. Today, I’m proud being a member of the Kannada film industry, the Indian film industry, telling our story, which is not just a story,” he said.
Elaborating on the cultural weight of the Ramayana, he added: “In our country, we just don’t tell the story, we remember it, and we pass it down for generations to come. And this story has travelled for thousands of years. We are proud to present this story to the world, and hope it will give a message to the world which India as a culture, India as a heritage, what it offers to the global audience or the world.”
Yash as Co-Producer: More Than a Leading Man
Producer Namit Malhotra used the occasion to highlight Yash’s stake in the project beyond his on-screen role. Malhotra confirmed that Yash is also a producing partner through his banner Monster Mind Creations. “Yash is not just the superstar of the film, but he’s also my producing partner. And from the very first day we met in Los Angeles, I think it was his conviction and my vision that really brought everything together. So, thank you, Yash,” Malhotra said.
This dual role — as both a marquee star and a creative-financial stakeholder — signals the growing ambition of regional cinema powerhouses to shape pan-India and global narratives from the ground up. Notably, Yash’s rise from the Kannada film industry to a pan-India phenomenon after KGF: Chapter 2 (2022) makes his casting as Lankesh a pointed statement about the industry’s expanding geography of stardom.
Why the Global Stage Matters
The choice of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures for the premiere is itself significant. The venue, which is dedicated to celebrating the art of filmmaking globally, has rarely hosted Indian film events of this scale. By premiering 'Ramayana' there, the producers are signalling an intent to position the film not merely as a Bollywood blockbuster but as a world-cinema event rooted in one of humanity’s oldest living oral traditions.
The film, directed by Nitesh Tiwari — whose previous work includes Dangal (2016) — is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November 2026. With its multilingual scale and a cast that spans Hindi and regional Indian cinema, it is widely seen as one of the most ambitious Indian productions in recent memory.
Point of View
But the real story is structural: a Kannada industry star co-producing a Sanskrit epic for a global multiplex audience is a genuinely new configuration in Indian cinema. The question is whether the film’s cultural ambition translates into box-office crossover — or whether, like several pan-India epics before it, it peaks domestically and fades abroad. Nitesh Tiwari’s track record with Dangal suggests he can balance mass appeal with emotional weight, but Dangal had a true story at its core. Mythology, at global scale, is a riskier bet.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Yash playing in the Ramayana film?
Yash plays the role of Lankesh in the upcoming epic 'Ramayana', directed by Nitesh Tiwari. The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November 2026.
Where was the Ramayana premiere held?
The premiere was held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on 28 October 2026. The event was attended by director Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra, co-stars Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi, and Yash's wife Radhika Pandit.
Is Yash only an actor in Ramayana or does he have another role?
Yash is both the lead actor and a co-producer on 'Ramayana' through his production banner Monster Mind Creations. Producer Namit Malhotra publicly acknowledged this at the LA premiere, calling Yash’s conviction central to bringing the project together.
What did Yash say about India's storytelling culture at the premiere?
Yash said that in India, stories are not merely told but remembered and passed down across generations. He described the Ramayana as a narrative that has 'travelled for thousands of years' and expressed hope that the film would convey what India offers to the world as a culture and heritage.
When does Ramayana release in cinemas?
'Ramayana', directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November 2026.
