Ilaiyaraaja Comes On Board Valmiki Ramayana As Composer

Legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja has officially come on board to score the music for the upcoming epic film Valmiki Ramayana, adding significant creative weight to the ambitious mythological project.

Directed by Bhavna Talwar, the film is a cinematic retelling of the ancient Indian epic attributed to sage Valmiki. The makers recently unveiled a new poster announcing Ilaiyaraaja’s involvement, describing his contribution as a “musical invocation,” signalling a spiritually rooted and grand sonic vision for the film.

The project boasts a strong technical team, including cinematographer Binod Pradhan, production designer Sabu Cyril, and Academy Award-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty. Additionally, filmmaker-scholar Chandraprakash Dwivedi is attached as creative consultant and dialogue writer, while the screenplay is adapted by Anand Neelakantan.

Rooted in one of India’s most enduring literary works,spanning roughly 24,000 verses,the narrative follows Lord Ram’s exile, Sita’s abduction by Ravana, and the eventual rescue that forms the core of the epic.

The film was initially announced on the occasion of Ram Navami, with subsequent promotional material released on Akshaya Tritiya. While the cast is yet to be revealed, Valmiki Ramayana is slated for a theatrical release on October 2, 2026.

Ilaiyaraaja’s association,coming as he marks over five decades in music,positions the film to deliver a deeply evocative and culturally resonant score, reinforcing its ambition as a large-scale retelling of a timeless epic.