Actor Yash has reportedly changed his payment deal for Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming, giving up an expected fee of around ₹100 crore in exchange for theatrical distribution rights across South India.
According to a Sacnilk report cited by The Times of India, Yash will not receive a fixed fee for playing Ravana in the two-part film. Instead, the actor, who is also a co-producer of Ramayana through his banner Monster Mind Creations, will reportedly receive the South Indian theatrical distribution rights for both parts of the film.
Under the reported arrangement, Yash’s earnings fromwill depend on how the film performs in southern markets rather than on a fixed amount agreed in advance.
Yash was earlier expected to receive around ₹100 crore for Ramayana: Part One and Part Two. The amount had been widely reported after the actor joined the project as Ravana.
If the reported deal is accurate, the new arrangement could prove more profitable for Yash if Ramayana performs strongly in South India. However, it could also result in lower earnings if the film fails to do well in the region.
The reported deal is notable because Yash is not only playing Ravana but is also involved in the film as a co-producer.
Distribution-linked payment arrangements are not new in the film industry. However, it is relatively uncommon for an actor of Yash’s stature to accept distribution rights instead of a guaranteed upfront fee, particularly for a large-scale project such as Ramayana.
The reported arrangement could also indicate confidence in the film’s commercial prospects, especially with Yash himself having a stake in the project.
The reported change in Yash’s Ramayana deal comes shortly after the theatrical release of his previous film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic opened with a strong ₹101.10 crore net collection in India on its first day. However, its earnings fell sharply in the following days.
By the end of its first week, the film had collected around ₹229.60 crore net in India. While the performance of Toxic and the reported change in Yash’s Ramayana deal are not known to be connected, the timing has attracted attention.
Ramayana introduced Yash as Ravana, who emerged from the shadows before entering his grand palace and declaring his rule over the three worlds.
As darkness spreads, Lord Vishnu returns to Earth as Prince Rama. Ranbir Kapoor plays the role of Lord Rama, while Sai Pallavi appears as Sita Mata. Arun Govil plays King Dasharatha.
The film focuses on Lord Rama from his life as the prince of Ayodhya to his exile, followed by battle against Ravana.
The film also stars Ravie Dubey, Sunny Deol, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, and Kunal Kapoor.
It is backed by Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus and global CEO of Academy Award-winning visual effects studio DNEG.
The music has been composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman.
