Namit Malhotra: 'The Ramayana' Belongs to The World—No One Person or Entity Owns It

For decades, India’s visual effects industry has grappled with a paradox — grand cinematic ambitions often undercut by budget constraints and execution hurdles. But change is in the air. With Dune: Part Two securing an Academy Award for its VFX studio and homegrown spectacles like Brahmāstra pushing creative boundaries, Indian filmmakers are proving that they can stand shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Namit Malhotra, an Oscar-winning VFX veteran and CEO of Double Negative (DNEG) reflects on his journey, the evolving landscape of Indian VFX, and the groundbreaking vision behind his next big project, Nitesh Tiwari's highly-anticipated adaptation of the Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.

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Edited excerpts from a conversation:

Congratulations on DNEG's eighth . I was reading about your grandfather and his work on Jhansi Ki Rani... looking back, what has this journey been like for you, and what has been the biggest learning curve?

It has been a pretty long journey, even for me. It's been almost 30 years since I started. I grew up in a very film-enthusiastic family, so for me, every project and every big director I’ve worked with has been a fascinating experience. When you grow up as part of a film legacy, there's a lot of enthusiasm around the business—it's not just another job or another source of livelihood. There's a deep emotional and creative connection to it.

Working on major projects, collaborating with incredible people, and raising the bar with every new challenge has been the most fulfilling part of the journey. Winning awards and getting recognition from my peers is great, but what truly matters is the feeling that we are making a difference. It’s not just about doing a job—it’s about pushing the boundaries, innovating, and making an impact. I can comfortably say that while we did this successfully in India, today we’re doing the same in Hollywood. That’s something I would have never imagined when I started out.

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Indian cinema has always had ambitious ideas about how things should be, but often we see that the execution falters. DNEG won the National Award for best VFX for Brahmāstra Part One - Shiva, so what made it stand out? What is changing in India’s VFX industry, and what does it take for homegrown VFX to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hollywood?

Brahmāstra was truly a labour of love for Ayan Mukerji. He’s a very keen and enthusiastic filmmaker. When he approached us, he candidly admitted that visual effects weren’t his forte. He had this massive vision, but needed real help to bring it to life.

What made Brahmāstra special was that we were involved right from the drawing board; that level of collaboration is crucial. When a filmmaker and a VFX company work together from the beginning, the results are far superior. It wasn’t just about executing shots; it was about shaping the film’s visual language from the ground up. Everyone was emotionally and creatively invested, which made a huge difference.

The problem with many other Indian films is that VFX is often treated as an afterthought. Filmmakers come in late, assuming it’ll be a small part of the puzzle, but it turns out to be much bigger than they anticipated. When that happens, things slip through the cracks. That’s why Brahmāstra worked—it was a collaborative, committed effort from day one.

Do you see a fundamental difference in how filmmakers approach VFX globally versus in India?

There are all kinds of filmmakers everywhere. Some are highly organised and disciplined, while others are not—it’s not about India versus the West, it’s about the individual. What differs is the process.

In Hollywood, studios and producers are deeply involved in planning. They have detailed roadmaps for how a movie will be made, and there’s a structured pipeline for VFX. Because of the studio-led culture, everyone is answerable—budgets, schedules, and execution are tightly managed. That level of planning is still catching up in India.

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Let’s talk about budgets. A common criticism of Indian VFX-heavy films is that they don’t look expensive. I was speaking with VFX artists recently, and they told me that they spend more time on Hollywood projects because the per-hour pay is better. Is this purely a money problem, or is there a deeper industry mindset that needs to shift?

It is definitely a money problem. Western projects pay significantly more than Indian ones, but that’s also because they make a lot more money. It’s an economic disparity rather than a lack of willingness to pay.

However, higher pay doesn’t automatically mean better quality. We’ve won VFX Oscars for projects that didn’t have the biggest budgets. Even in Hollywood, a film like Dune wasn’t the most expensive VFX production among its Oscar competitors. Quality isn’t directly proportional to money—it’s about commitment to the process, design, and vision.

We often hear about massive film budgets—₹300 crores, ₹600 crores—but the visuals don’t always reflect that. So, money alone won’t get you good VFX, right?

Exactly. You have to commit to the process. There are Hollywood films that spend a lot and still get criticised for bad VFX. It’s an artistic process—spending more doesn’t guarantee excellence. You need the right vision, the right team, and a strong execution plan.

Your next big project is Ramayana, and it’s shaping up to be India’s first truly global film. Mythological epics are back in vogue, but audiences today are savvier than ever. How do you balance scale and authenticity for a film like this, where every viewer has a deeply personal connection to the story, yet it needs to meet global standards?

Ramayana belongs to the world—no one person or entity owns it. That’s what makes it so powerful. Since everyone has their own interpretation, the challenge is to tell the story in a way that feels familiar yet visually groundbreaking.

When you read the Ramayana, you don’t get to see its full scale—the epic landscapes, creatures, and characters. We are leveraging everything we’ve learned, all the technology and artistry at our disposal, to bring it to life in the grandest way possible. I often say that after 30 years in the industry, I finally feel ready to make Ramayana because we now have the expertise, experience, and technology to do it justice.

For me, it’s personal—my kids are named Raghav and Raghveer. There’s a deep cultural and emotional connection. But beyond that, it’s about setting a new benchmark for Indian cinema. We don’t want to make excuses about budgets or limitations. This film should stand shoulder to shoulder with the biggest productions in the world.

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To execute an uncompromising vision like this, what does it take in terms of manpower, hours, and resources?

The uncompromising vision is an attitude. It’s not just about money; I’ve worked on low-budget TV shows in the ‘90s where we still gave it our all. Excellence is a mindset—you always push to do the best with what you have.

With Ramayana, it has taken 30 years of experience to reach a place where we can execute it at this scale. We’ve worked on global projects, won awards, and built a solid foundation. Now, we’re applying everything we’ve learned to make Ramayana as grand and immersive as possible.

Hollywood has been open about using de-aging technology—Martin Scorsese used it in The Irishman and Marvel films have embraced it—but in India, it’s still kept under wraps. Why is that, and is de-aging becoming more common in Bollywood?

It’s absolutely on the rise. I don’t think there’s secrecy—it’s just that seamless de-aging isn’t always noticeable. If you make a 45-year-old look 35, it’s subtle. But taking a 75-year-old and making them look 25 is very obvious. Hollywood highlights it when it’s extreme, but subtle applications are everywhere.

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In India, you’ll see more projects using it effectively very soon. It’s not just a storytelling tool; movie stars have a global image to maintain. Vanity plays a role, but at the end of the day, it’s about making the best creative choices for the film.