Mahavatar Narsimha

Mahavatar Narsimha

Official release poster
Directed by	Ashwin Kumar Baluja
Produced by	Shilpaa Dhawan Baluja, Kushal Desai, Chaitanya Desai
Screenplay by	Jayapurna Das
Dialogues by	Jayapurna Das
Story by	Based on Narasimha Purana, Vishnu Purana, Bhagavata Purana
Starring
Music by	Sam C. S.
Cinematography
Edited by	Ashwin Kumar, Ajay Varma
Production company	Kleem Productions Hombale Films (presenters only)
Distributed by	Given Below
Release date	November 25, 2024 (IFFI) July 25, 2025 (India)
Running time	131 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi
Budget	₹4–15 crore
Box office	₹83 crore

Mahavatar Narsimha is a 2025 Indian animated mythological action film in Hindi, directed by Ashwin Kumar in his debut. The story is written by Jayapurna Das, produced by Kleem Productions, and presented by Hombale Films. It marks the beginning of a planned seven-part Mahavatar Cinematic Universe, inspired by the ten divine avatars (Dashavatara) of Lord Vishnu.

This first chapter focuses on two powerful avatars — Varaha and Narsimha.

The film begins with Varaha, a mighty boar, who rescues Bhudevi (Mother Earth) from the demon Hiranyaksha. After this, the story shifts to Hiranyakashipu, the demon’s brother, who becomes arrogant after receiving a divine boon. He declares himself a god and punishes those who worship Vishnu. But his own son, Prahlad, stays loyal to Vishnu despite threats.

To protect Prahlad and restore balance, Lord Vishnu appears as Narsimha — a fierce half-man, half-lion avatar. In a dramatic showdown, Narsimha defeats Hiranyakashipu in a way that respects every condition of the demon’s boon.

Blending two legendary tales from Hindu mythology, the film beautifully presents themes like divine justice, unshakable devotion, and the promise that good always triumphs over evil.The music and background score were composed by Sam C. S. while editing was done by Ajay Varma the director Ashwin Kumar himself.

Mahavatar Narsimha had its premiere on 25 November 2024 at the International Film Festival of India, and it was officially released in cinemas on 25 July 2025 in both 2D and 3D formats.

Surprisingly, the film became a sleeper hit, gaining popularity mostly through word-of-mouth and what many described as a sense of divine connection. It has now become the highest-grossing Indian animated movie, breaking the record set by Hanuman (2005).

Plot

Long ago, there were two powerful demon brothers: Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. They wanted to rule over all three worlds — Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld. Their strength scared even the gods.

Hiranyaksha, the younger brother, kidnapped Mother Earth (Bhudevi) and hid her deep in the ocean. The world fell into danger. To save Earth, Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar called Varaha. He fought Hiranyaksha, defeated him, and brought Earth back to its place.

After his brother’s death, Hiranyakashipu became very angry. He prayed to Lord Brahma and got a special boon: he could not be killed by any man or animal, not in day or night, not inside or outside, not on land or sky, and not with any weapon.

With this boon, Hiranyakashipu became very proud. He told everyone to worship him as God. But his own son, Prahlad, was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He always prayed to Vishnu and refused to worship his father.

Hiranyakashipu became furious. He tried to kill Prahlad many times — with poison, fire, and wild animals. But nothing worked because Lord Vishnu always protected him.

One day, Hiranyakashipu asked, "Is your Vishnu in this pillar too?" Prahlad said, "Yes, He is." Angry, Hiranyakashipu hit the pillar. Suddenly, Lord Vishnu came out of it as Narasimha — a half-man, half-lion form.

Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu at twilight (not day or night), on the doorstep (not inside or outside), on his lap (not land or sky), and with his claws (not a weapon). This fulfilled all the conditions of the boon.

After this, peace returned. The gods praised Prahlad for his devotion, and he was made king. The story teaches that no one can defeat God’s power, and true devotion always wins.

Voice Cast

• Aditya Raj Sharma as Hiranyakashipu
• Haripriya Matta as Prahlad
• Sanket Jaiswal as Narrator
• Priyanka Bhandari as Kayadhu
• Vasundhra Bose as Lakshmi Ji
• Harjeet Walia as Lord Narsimha
• Sanchit Wartak as Hiranyaksha
• Saanwari Yagnik as Holika
• Dinesh Varma as Kashyap Muni
• Dinesh Varma as Shukracharya
• Uplaksh Kochhar as Lord Vishnu
• Akshay Joshi as Baksia
• Harish Moily as Narad Muni
• Harish Moily as Thin Guard
• Ajay Singhal as Fat Guard
• Sankalp Jaiswal as Akhanda
• Karan Trivedi as Amarka
• Karan Trivedi as Sanda
• Abhishek Sharma as Lord Brahma
• Dixoan Shah as Lord Indra
• Shahid Zafar as Varun Dev
• Rakesh Soni as Demigod
• Ayushi Anand as Dina
• Anshul Sharma as Surya Dev

Production

The project was started by Kleem Productions to create a 3D animated epic based on Hindu history. Announced in mid‑2024, the director Ashwin Kumar called it a "labor of love rooted in our collective history," drawing inspiration from the Vishnu Purana, Narasimha Purana, and Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. Hombale Films is presenting the movie.

This project aims to raise the standard of Indian animation. Kumar highlighted that the film challenges the idea that animation is only for children, showing that Indian VFX and animation can match world-class quality. The animation process took around four and a half years, with careful attention to making it photorealistic.

Historical sites and scriptures used

Director Ashwin Kumar visited places like Raktkund at Ahobila Matha and included historical and scriptural references in the film.This includes archaeological sites such as the Ahobila Nava Narasimha Swamy temples, the restored shrine of Yog-Narasimha in Hampi, and possibly the ruins of Prahladpuri Temple in Multan. Sacred texts like the Vishnu Purana, Narasimha Purana, Varaha Purana, Padma Purana, and Shrimad Bhagavata Purana also inspired the story. Many names of institutions and individuals contacted during production are credited in the opening and closing scenes, similar to the approach in the film Ram Setu.

Soundtrack

The film’s score and soundtrack are composed by Sam C. S., marking his first collaboration with director Ashwin Kumar. The audio rights for the Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions were bought by Think Music, while the Hindi version was acquired by Ishtar Music.

Release

Premiere

Mahavatar Narsimha premiered on 25 November 2024 at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) under the Indian Panorama section, and it was shown in Hindi.

Theatrical Release

The film was originally scheduled for 3 April 2025 but was postponed and released on 25 July 2025 in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. The theatrical version has a runtime of 131 minutes, 10 minutes shorter than the festival version.

Distribution

The North India and Nepal rights were acquired by AA Films, Karnataka by Hombale Films,. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by Geetha Arts,. Kerala by Prithviraj Productions, and Tamil Nadu by Think Studios and S Picture.

Overseas Distribution

North America rights went to Prathyangira Cinemas,Middle East to Phars Film Co., Australia and New Zealand to Tolly Movies International, the United Kingdom to Dreamz Entertainment, Singapore and Sri Lanka to Home Screen Entertainment, Malaysia to DMY Creations, and Europe to 4 Seasons Creations.

Marketing

A motion poster was released on 16 November 2024, a teaser trailer came out on 14 January 2025 during Makar Sankranti, and the full trailer was released on 9 July 2025.

Reception

Critical response

Mahavatar Narsimha received generally positive reviews from critics. Ahana Tiwari of Zee News gave 4/5 stars, calling it an emotionally effective and devotional film with sincerity and heart. Anurag Singh Bohra of India Today rated it 3.5/5, praising its emotional impact and the thrilling climax. Susmita Sameera of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars, noting the film’s ambition and visual appeal, especially as a first attempt in Indian animated devotional cinema. Bhawna Arya of Times Now also rated it 3/5, appreciating its artistry and storytelling. Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost gave 3/5, highlighting its unique emotional impact compared to mainstream films. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated it 2.5/5, commenting on the intense and ultra-violent climax, but acknowledging its effectiveness.

Box office

Mahavatar Narsimha earned ₹2.29 crore on its opening day.In its first week, it grossed ₹53 crore worldwide, with ₹32.82 crore coming from the Hindi version. The net collection in India was ₹43.50 crore. By the eighth day, the worldwide total reached ₹62 crore, including ₹38 crore from Hindi and ₹13 crore from Telugu. By the third weekend, the film earned ₹171 crore net and crossed ₹200 crore globally.

External links

• IMDB