Adipurush: Cast, Budget, OTT & Box Office Explained

You’re a kid, huddled in front of the TV during Diwali, eyes glued to Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan. The air smells of sweets and incense, and you’re utterly captivated by the timeless clash of good versus evil—Lord Ram’s quiet resolve, Hanuman’s boundless devotion, Ravana’s towering rage. Fast forward to 2023, and that sacred story gets a Bollywood makeover with a budget bigger than most small countries’ GDPs. Adipurush promised to be the grandest retelling yet, a visual feast blending ancient myth with modern spectacle. But instead of applause, it ignited outrage, memes, and a box-office nosedive that left everyone wondering: How do you modernize an epic without losing its soul?

If you’re an Indian movie lover like me—someone who’s debated Baahubali plot holes over chai and defended RRR to skeptical friends—you’ve probably heard the buzz (or the backlash). Directed by Om Raut, starring Prabhas as the exiled prince Raghav (our Ram), this film aimed to capture the Ramayana’s essence for a new generation. But with a staggering ₹500-700 crore budget and hype that could power Mumbai’s grid, it stumbled hard. Today, let’s unpack it all: the star power, the spectacle, the scandals, and why it still matters. Grab some popcorn (or mithai), because this ride’s got more twists than a monsoon downpour.

The Cast of Adipurush: Heroes, Demons, and Heavy Hitters

Let’s start with the lineup—because if there’s one thing Adipurush nailed, it’s star wattage. Prabhas, fresh off slaying as the Baahubali brute, steps into the dhoti of Lord Ram (here called Raghav). At 6’3″ with that brooding intensity, he looks the part: regal, unyielding, like he could lift mountains without breaking a sweat. But here’s the rub—his performance? It’s more statue than storyteller. Critics called it “emotionally flat,” a quiet king who barely cracks a smile amid exile and abduction. Still, for fans, seeing the Rebel Star wield the divine bow? Pure goosebumps.

Then there’s Kriti Sanon as Janaki (Sita), the epitome of grace under fire. She’s luminous, her eyes conveying a mix of vulnerability and steel—think a modern Sita who’d negotiate with demons before fainting. Sunny Singh pulls off Shesh (Lakshman) with boyish charm, the loyal brother who’s equal parts fierce protector and comic relief. And Devdatta Nage? As Bajrang (Hanuman), he’s a revelation—leaping across screens with childlike wonder and godlike power. His entry scene, tail aflame, had theaters erupting.

But the real show-stealer? Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh (Ravana). Oh boy. Saif brings a sly charisma to the ten-headed tyrant, all swagger and shadowed menace. His villainy isn’t cartoonish snarling; it’s a seductive storm, complete with a voice that drips like poisoned honey. Yet, that look—spiky gelled hair, kohl-rimmed eyes, leather vibes—sparked endless “Khilji 2.0” jokes. More on that later. Supporting turns from Vatsal Sheth as Indrajit and Sonal Chauhan as Mandodari add layers, but it’s this core crew that carries the film’s beating (if uneven) heart.

Why does the cast matter so much? In a story etched into our collective DNA, these actors aren’t just playing roles—they’re reimagining gods. Prabhas embodies the everyman hero we root for; Saif, the flawed king we fear (and secretly admire). It’s casting that screams ambition, even if the script doesn’t always match.

From Teaser to Premiere: The Making of a Mythic Blockbuster

Adipurush wasn’t born overnight. Announced in August 2020 with a motion poster that teased “the first man,” it drew from Om Raut’s obsession with the 1992 Japanese anime Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. Raut, hot off Tanhaji‘s success, envisioned a 3D spectacle shot in Hindi and Telugu simultaneously—motion capture for those epic battles, green screens for Lanka’s golden spires.

Filming kicked off in February 2021 in Mumbai, wrapping by November amid a freak fire on set (no one hurt, thank the stars). Ajay-Atul’s score pulses with Sanskrit chants and thunderous drums, while Sachet-Parampara adds those earworm anthems like “Jai Shri Ram.” The budget? A jaw-dropping ₹500-700 crore, making it one of India’s priciest gambles—think VFX houses churning out monkey armies and flying pushpaks.

But ambition met reality. The October 2022 teaser dropped like a dud firecracker: blurry CGI, eerie character designs (Hanuman’s tail looked like a bad Halloween prop). Social media exploded—”Is this a PS2 game?” one tweet quipped. Release delayed from August 2022 to June 16, 2023, with extra crores poured into polishing those visuals.

The trailers improved—May’s version amped the drama, June’s final cut promised fireworks. Advance bookings soared, tickets hit ₹2,000 in spots. Hype peaked. Then… the film hit screens. And the world hit back.

Read More: Naa Saami Ranga: Cast, OTT, Reviews, and Budget Insights

Adipurush Budget: A Billionaire’s Bet Gone Bust?

Let’s talk numbers, because in Bollywood, money talks louder than mantras. Adipurush clocked an estimated ₹500-700 crore all-in—star salaries (Prabhas alone at ₹120 crore), VFX from global studios, and marketing that blanketed India. That’s more than Avatar‘s Indian budget, folks. Producers T-Series and Retrophiles banked on pan-India appeal: 8,000 screens worldwide, dubbed in five languages.

Did it pay off? Not quite. Worldwide collections settled around ₹350-400 crore—opening weekend ₹150 crore strong, then a Monday plummet to single digits. India net: ₹288 crore; overseas: ₹50 crore. Verdict? Flop city, with losses estimated at ₹150-200 crore for distributors. Blame the backlash, sure—but also a story that couldn’t sustain the spectacle. It’s a stark reminder: In epics, heart trumps hype every time.

For comparison:

Film	Budget (₹ Cr)	Worldwide Gross (₹ Cr)	Verdict
Adipurush	500-700	350-400	Flop
Baahubali 2	250	1,800	All-Time Blockbuster
Brahmastra	410	430	Average
Kalki 2898 AD	600	1,000+ (est.)	Hit

The Adipurush Controversy: When Devotion Meets Disrespect

Ah, the elephant (or should I say, the ten-headed demon) in the room. Adipurush didn’t just flop—it fractured. From the teaser, critics slammed the “cartoonish” VFX: Sita’s deer costume evoked discount Halloween, Ravana’s vibe screamed “rockstar reject.” But the real inferno? Dialogues that turned sacred into slang.

Lines like “Bua ka bagicha” for the golden deer? Or Lankesh’s taunt, “Tere baap ka kya hoga?” (later tweaked to “Lanka laga denge”)? They landed like punches to the gut—crude, out-of-place, diluting the Ramayana’s poetry. Hindu groups protested, filing FIRs for “hurting sentiments.” Bans hit Nepal, Mumbai pockets; death threats chased Raut and writer Manoj Muntashir. Saif’s “humanized” Ravana? Labeled Islamophobic, evoking Khilji over the scholarly scholar.

Raut apologized, reshot dialogues, slashed tickets to ₹150. Too little, too late? The Allahabad High Court ripped into the “shameful” portrayal. It wasn’t just offense—it was a debate on creative liberty versus cultural custody. Could a “modern” Ramayana exist without alienating devotees? Adipurush says… maybe not yet.

Rhetorical question: In chasing global gloss, did we gloss over the grace that makes the Ramayana eternal?

Adipurush OTT: Where to Stream the Saga Now

Missed the theater frenzy? No sweat—Adipurush hit OTT quietly on August 11, 2023, two months post-release. Hindi version? Netflix, ready for your binge. South languages (Telugu, Tamil, etc.)? Amazon Prime Video. It’s a low-key drop—no fanfare, just the film, sans the theater echoes.

Worth the stream? If you’re curious about the chaos or crave Prabhas‘ valor, sure. Subtitles help decode the dubbed quirks. Pro tip: Pair it with a rewatch of the original Ramayan for contrast—it’s like comparing street chaat to fine dining.

[Image: OTT thumbnail with Prabhas, Kriti, and Saif in epic pose, overlaid with Netflix and Prime logos]

Critical Verdict: Hits, Misses, and Middling Scores

Reviews? A mixed masala. IMDb: 2.6/10—brutal, with users slamming “degrading adaptation.” Rotten Tomatoes: 7% critics, audience at 25%—”lacks ingenuity,” one quipped. Times of India gave 3/5: “Sincere but overwhelmed.” Roger Ebert? “Bogus VFX, unreflective.”

Pros:

• Visual Scale: Lanka’s burning bridges? Epic.
• Performances: Saif steals scenes; Nage’s Hanuman soars.
• Music: Ajay-Atul’s tracks linger like temple bells.

Cons:

• Dialogues: Cringy shortcuts kill the poetry.
• Pacing: 3 hours of meandering myth.
• VFX: Shiny but soulless—more Avengers knockoff than ancient awe.

Reddit threads? “Masterpiece of garbage.” Yet, some defend: “Creative liberties for a new gen.” It’s divisive, like pineapple on pizza—love it or loathe it.

Why Adipurush Still Resonates (Flaws and All)

Look, Adipurush isn’t perfect. It tried to bottle lightning—myth meets Marvel—and zapped itself. But peel back the controversy, and you find flickers of fire: A reminder that Ram’s story endures because it’s human. Exile’s ache, loyalty’s leap, evil’s allure—these aren’t dusty tales; they’re mirrors.

For intermediate fans like us, it’s a cautionary blockbuster: Bold swings can inspire, even if they miss. It sparked chats on faith, film, and fidelity—worth more than box-office gold. And hey, in a sea of sequels, attempting an epic? Respect.

If this stirred your inner storyteller, dive deeper with our guide to Ramayana adaptations in cinema. Or join the debate in our free community—[link to Slack group]—where movie lovers dissect without the drama.

FAQ: Your Adipurush Queries Answered