Release of 'Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama' in India delayed, new date to be announced

New Delhi: Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, the 1993 Japanese Indian anime film, has been rescheduled and will be released in Indian theatres at a later date, the movie's distributors announced on Friday.

The animated film was set to release in theatres with new dubs in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu alongside its original English version on October 18 in the 4K format.

Geek Pictures India, which is distributing the movie in India in collaboration with AA Films and Excel Entertainment, said the rescheduling has been done with the aim to make the film accessible in a significantly greater number of cinemas.

"Geek Pictures extends its heartfelt gratitude to the people of India for the overwhelming love and encouragement shown for Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama.

"In response to the incredible enthusiasm from fans nationwide, we have decided to adjust the film's release date from the previously scheduled 18th of October to a new date in the near future. This decision reflects our commitment to ensuring that this iconic masterpiece reaches every corner of our vast country," the company said in a letter, posted on its official Instagram page.

Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is directed by Yugo Sako, Ram Mohan and Koichi Sasaki.

In the film's earlier Hindi version, Ramayan star Arun Govil voiced the character of Ram, Namrata Sawhney voice starred as Sita and the late Amrish Puri lent his voice to Raavan. Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha served as the narrator.

Geek Pictures India said more than a film, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is a timeless tale that celebrates relationships, the triumph of good over evil, harmony between nature and living beings, and friendship and trust.

"We are honoured to present this cultural artefact from Japan to its spiritual home. We will soon announce a new release date that aligns with our vision of widespread accessibility," the distributor said.

Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama was screened in India at the 24th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 1993 but wasn’t released in cinema halls.

It became popular with Indian audiences upon its re-runs on TV channels in the early 2000s.