Before India and Lanka, Rama-Ravana go to Dubai

(L-R) Yash, Sai Pallavi and Ranbir Kapoor. Pics/Yogen Shah, Instagram

Where will the grand premiere of ‘Ramayana' be held? If things fall in place, Dubai. Sources have told mid-day that director Nitesh Tiwari and producer Namit Malhotra, who had initially paused their plans of hosting a premiere in the UAE due to the then ongoing conflict in West Asia, have revived the discussion in the wake of the US and Iran signing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The team is now apparently working towards hosting the event - internally referred to as the ‘Desert Premiere' - in the emirate tentatively on October 28.

Groundwork for the event, which will be attended by lead actors Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, and Yash, has quietly begun. Location scouts have started evaluating venues across Dubai. A source said, "In April, the idea was put on hold because the timing didn't feel right. Now that the situation has eased considerably, the team is again exploring the feasibility of taking ‘Ramayana' to Dubai. The city was always the preferred choice because of its ability to stage large-scale events and the Indian diaspora."