Manoj Bajpayee Questions Ramayana and Varanasi Budget Hype, Calls It a ‘PR Game’

Manoj Bajpayee has voiced what many people think: the craze surrounding massive film budgets, especially for projects like Ramayana and Varanasi, is largely driven by PR rather than quality. According to him, these high-cost productions appear more focused on being labelled India's most expensive films than on their actual cinematic value.

As the industry continues to boast about spending thousands of crores, Bajpayee stresses that true craftsmanship matters more than flashy budgets.

In a recent interview, the National Award-winning actor, known for his preference for story-driven cinema, criticised the hype created by publicising enormous budgets. He argued that announcing figures such as ₹2,000 crore or ₹4,000 crore is more about publicity than transparency.

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana and SS Rajamouli's Varanasi have become the centre of intense discussion. Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, reportedly carries a budget of ₹4,000 crore, making it the most expensive Indian production ever. Produced by Namit Malhotra, the film is scheduled for release in 2026.

Meanwhile, Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, who is returning to Indian cinema after six years, is reportedly being made on a staggering budget of ₹1,400 crore and is slated for release in 2027. Both films have generated headlines because of their astronomical costs since they were first announced. Bajpayee believes these budget disclosures are deliberate rather than coincidental.

According to Bajpayee, this aligns with what media experts and PR professionals refer to as "spectacle PR". The strategy aims to generate excitement around a film long before its release.

For example, major film announcements often trigger widespread media coverage and extensive discussions on social media. Fans become excited by the prospect of watching something historic and groundbreaking. While this approach is not new, films such as Baahubali demonstrated its effectiveness years ago. Today, however, the scale of such campaigns has become even larger.

Grand launch events now serve multiple purposes. They function as teasers, platforms for press interactions, and opportunities to capture public attention from the outset.

Bajpayee's comments carry weight because of his standing in the industry. A three-time National Film Award winner and Padma Shri recipient, he also leads Prime Video's successful series The Family Man. When he discusses industry issues, he speaks from decades of firsthand experience.

Throughout his career, Bajpayee has consistently chosen smaller and riskier films rather than taking the safer commercial route. At IFFI 2024, he was particularly outspoken, stating that Indian cinema was "at its lowest".

During the event, he pointed to streaming platforms moving away from independent content and argued that both Bollywood and Hollywood have become increasingly risk-averse. Earlier that year, while promoting his thriller Inspector Zende, Bajpayee noted that even major stars were now dealing with "budget constraints".

This observation appears ironic in an industry that regularly celebrates billion-rupee productions. For Bajpayee, it reflects a larger problem. Massive budgets often receive extensive marketing support, while genuinely creative and unconventional projects continue to struggle for funding.

He argues that Indian cinema frequently showcases its most expensive productions while many smaller films face significant challenges behind the scenes. According to Bajpayee, independent movies are often sidelined in multiplexes, and OTT platforms no longer provide the same level of support for content-driven films.

In his view, the focus has shifted towards spectacle rather than substance.

At the same time, these big-budget productions attract investors and command public attention. However, they can also overshadow smaller, more focused films. In that sense, they both benefit and harm the industry.

Bajpayee is not opposed to large-scale films. He has worked in several commercial productions himself and acknowledges that such projects often help finance smaller ventures. What he questions is the industry's growing obsession with budgets.

Today, audiences often seem more interested in expensive trailers and record-breaking production costs than in the filmmaking process itself. With Ramayana and Varanasi generating enormous buzz, the industry is watching closely.

Will these films justify their massive budgets and succeed commercially? Or has the excitement been amplified primarily through strategic publicity?

Whatever the outcome, Bajpayee continues to raise important questions about the direction of Indian cinema.