New Delhi: Indian cinema is increasingly taking its biggest tentpole films to international pop-culture conventions such as San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC)
and CCXP, using these platforms to introduce ambitious franchises to a global fan community.
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana will be showcased at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, with actors Ranbir Kapoor and Yash expected to participate in the event. The film becomes the latest Indian project to use the convention to build global anticipation ahead of its release.
Kalki 2898 AD was the first Indian film to be presented at SDCC. Director Nag Ashwin attended the event along with Prabhas, while Kamal Haasan and Amitabh Bachchan joined remotely. The presentation generated widespread international attention, with several global trade publications describing the audience response as comparable to that of major Hollywood franchise events, giving Indian cinema rare visibility among global fandoms.
SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi was also unveiled at Comic Con Mexico, where producer SS Karthikeya hosted a panel featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and early previews. Rajamouli addressed fans via video conference. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who is marking her return to Indian cinema, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Varun Gupta of Max Marketing, who has worked on several such campaigns, told News9 Digital exclusively that these conventions are more about expanding a film’s reach than influencing its box-office prospects.
“It’s a different stage and audience to attract and have conversations beyond the regular movie-going TG, media, and YouTube. Just like how some films aim for gamers, environmentalists and other communities, Comic Con is one of them,” he told us.
“If you notice films like Kalki or Ramayana, which have a bit of a superhero element or fall into a zone of epic stories,” he added.
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He further said, “Films like Hanu-Man, Ramayana, Kalki, Brahmāstra—these kinds of films make it perfect for Comic-Con, But if you ask me how much difference it makes at the box office? Hardly any.”
While appearances at Comic-Con may not directly translate into ticket sales, they help Indian films become part of the global pop-culture conversation. For large-scale fantasy, mythology and sci-fi spectacles, these events offer an opportunity to connect with dedicated fan communities, generate international media coverage and build awareness well before release.
