'Content will always remain the king': Subhash Ghai backs Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, says storytelling will outlast AI

Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai has thrown his weight behind Nitesh Tiwari's much-anticipated epic 'Ramayana', declaring that no amount of artificial intelligence or new technology can replace the power of a well-told story. Speaking at the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026 on October 10, during a session titled 'AI, OTT and the New Rules of Storytelling', the maker of classics like 'Karz', 'Hero' and 'Taal' said audiences should expect big things from the two-part adaptation of the Indian epic.

'Content will always remain the king'

'Ramayana' is being mounted on a grand scale with filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari at the helm and Namit Malhotra as producer, and Ghai made it clear that the scale alone is not what excites him — it is the storytelling. "Content will always remain the king. We are expecting a lot from the upcoming Ramayana, because it is made by a good director and a good storyteller, despite the big budget and big-hearted people," he said.

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, with an ensemble cast that also includes Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta, Vivek Oberoi and Kajal Aggarwal, among others. Planned as a two-part adaptation of the epic, the first instalment is scheduled to release around Diwali 2026.

Ghai was full of praise for the craft of Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, and singled out Anil Kapoor for his work ethic, noting that the veteran actor continues to work hard even after decades in the industry. His daughter, Meghana Ghai Puri, also took the stage during the session, speaking about the challenges and responsibilities of carrying forward her father's legacy.

Good storytelling will outlast AI

For Ghai, the growing use of artificial intelligence does not diminish the importance of a strong story or the people responsible for bringing it to the screen. He argued that technology may keep evolving, but a filmmaker's ability to communicate a story and its emotions will remain essential.

"Whatever technology may come, it will always need a good director, a storyteller. That will always be there for 200 years," he said.

Explaining the relationship between writing and direction, Ghai said a writer tells a story through the pen, while a director communicates it through the camera. He cited the Ramayana and the Mahabharata as examples of stories that have endured across generations — finding new audiences through stage performances and Ramleela, then cinema, television and now technology-driven productions — without ever losing their central themes.

"You will not turn Ram into Ravan in Ramayana. The story will remain the same, the emotions will remain the same. Those cannot change," he said.

At the same time, Ghai encouraged young filmmakers to learn about AI and understand how it could make filmmaking more accessible. He suggested that projects which once required budgets of Rs 100 crore could eventually be made for Rs 10 crore with the help of the technology, potentially lowering production costs and opening the door for new voices.

'Worthy of the faith': Kapoor on playing Lord Ram

Ghai's endorsement of Ranbir Kapoor lands at a time when the actor himself has spoken about the weight of the role. In a behind-the-scenes video on the making of the film released in late September, Kapoor had detailed the deep sense of responsibility that comes with portraying Lord Ram, reflecting on the international collaboration, his training and the spiritual essence driving his performance. "My job was to be worthy of the faith that people place in the story," he had said in that clip, according to the September 28 report.

The original Ram and Sita also return

There is nostalgia swirling around the epic on another front as well. As reported on October 10, television's original Ram and Sita — Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia — are reuniting on screen for their first feature film together in nearly 39 years, titled 'Notice'. Billed as a modern-day Ramayan and directed by Pradeep Gupta, the film premieres on the OTT platform Waves on November 6, ahead of Govil's own appearance as King Dashrath in 'Ramayana: Part 1'.

Ghai's legacy and Ramayana's road ahead

One of Hindi cinema's most prominent filmmakers, Subhash Ghai is known for directing films such as 'Karz', 'Hero', 'Ram Lakhan', 'Khalnayak', 'Pardes' and 'Taal' — a filmography defined by large-scale storytelling, memorable music and enduring popular characters. With Nitesh Tiwari's 'Ramayana' among the biggest projects on the horizon for Indian cinema, and its first part locked for a Diwali 2026 release, Ghai's message was simple: the technology will keep changing, but the story — and the emotion — will always be king.