Mahavatar Narsimha

Mahavatar Narsimha is a 2025^[b] Indian animated epic mythological action film directed by Ashwin Kumar in his directorial debut, written by Jayapurna Das, produced by Kleem Productions, and Hombale Films.^[13] The film is the first instalment in the planned animated seven-part Mahavatar Cinematic Universe, based on the ten avatars of Bhagavan Vishnu.^[c]

The film chronicles the Mahaan avatars (divine incarnations) of Bhagwan Vishnu - Varaha and Narsimha. Varaha, a mighty boar, rescues Bhudevi (Mother Earth) from the Asura (demon) Hiranyaksha. After his victory, the story shifts to Hiranyakashipu, Hiranyaksha’s brother, who gains a boon, declares himself god, and oppresses Vishnu’s followers. Prahlad, his son and devoted follower of Vishnu, remains faithful despite his father’s threats. To save Prahlad and defeat evil, Vishnu appears as Narsimha, a half-man, half-lion form, who kills Hiranyakashipu while honoring the conditions of the demon’s boon from Bhagwan Brahma. Blending two major episodes from the Dashavatara, Mahavatar Narsimha explores themes of divine justice, unshakable faith, and the eternal promise of protection to the righteous.^[d]

The soundtrack and background score were composed by Sam C. S., with editing handled by Ajay Varma and Ashwin Kumar himself.^[21]

Mahavatar Narsimha was screened on 25 November 2024 at the International Film Festival of India and was theatrically released on 25 July 2025 in 2D and 3D formats.^[22][23] It has emerged as the highest-grossing Indian animated film, surpassing Hanuman (2005).^[24]

In an age when the universe trembles under the weight of ambition and pride, two demon brothers Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu — rise with the singular aim of conquering all three realms: Swarg Lok (Heaven), Dharti Lok (Earth), and Patal Lok (Netherworld). Born of immense power and dark wisdom, the brothers strike fear into gods and mortals alike, challenging the very fabric of divine order.

The younger brother, Hiranyaksha, driven by rage and thirst for dominance, dives deep into the cosmic oceans and kidnaps Bhudevi (Mother Earth), throwing the world into chaos. In response, Bhagwan Vishnu, protector of the universe, takes the form of Varaha—a colossal, divine boar—and engages in a fierce battle across the cosmic waters. The heavens echo with their clash, until Vishnu pierces the demon’s ego and slays him, restoring balance and returning Bhudevi to her rightful place.

Shattered by the death of his beloved brother, Hiranyakashipu, consumed by vengeance, retreats into the Himalayas for deep tapasya (penance). His austerities shake the cosmos and ultimately earn him a boon from Brahma: he cannot be killed by man or beast, day or night, indoors or outdoors, on earth or in the sky, by weapon or by hand. Believing himself now invincible, Hiranyakashipu declares war on the Devas, conquers their realms, and crowns himself “God of the Universe.”

But the divine has its own mysterious ways.

To Hiranyakashipu’s dismay, his own son Prahlad, a gentle and wise-hearted child—refuses to acknowledge him as God. Instead, the boy remains deeply devoted to Bhagwan Vishnu, chanting His name with unwavering faith. Infuriated, the demon king subjects Prahlad to unimaginable torments: poison, wild beasts, fire, even the infamous Holika pyre. But Prahlad emerges unharmed each time, protected by the very force his father seeks to destroy.

The conflict reaches its peak when Hiranyakashipu demands: "If your Vishnu is everywhere, is He in this pillar too?"

Prahlad replies with calm faith: "Yes, He is."

Enraged, Hiranyakashipu strikes the pillar—and in that very moment, Vishnu manifests as Narasimha, a terrifying incarnation—half-man, half-lion—roaring with divine fury. At twilight (neither day nor night), on the threshold of a courtyard (neither inside nor outside), Narasimha lifts Hiranyakashipu onto his lap (neither ground nor sky), and using only his nails (neither weapon nor hand), tears open the tyrant’s chest—honoring every clause of Brahma’s boon while delivering justice.

In the aftermath, Prahlad is crowned by the Devas, and peace is restored. The tale concludes with the eternal truth that no ego, no matter how powerful, can overcome the divine force that protects dharma (righteousness). And that pure devotion, even from a child, can invoke the might of the infinite. Surrounding devotees, along with gods including Bhagwan Shankar and Bhagwati Parvati and various demigods, come together in reverence to perform the Narsimha Aarti.

Adapted from the closing credits.

The project emerged from Kleem Productions to create a 3D animated epic rooted in Hindu history. Announced in mid‑2024, the film is described by director Ashwin Kumar as a "labor of love rooted in our collective history," drawing inspiration from the Vishnu Purana, Narasimha Purana, and Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. Hombale Films only presents the film.^[1][2]

The production marked a strategic push to elevate Indian animation. Kumar emphasized their goal to challenge the notion that animation is only for children, asserting that the film proves "Indian VFX and animation can be of world‑class quality."^[25] The animation process spanned roughly four and a half years, with meticulous attention to photorealism.^[26]

The film score and soundtrack album of the film are composed by Sam C. S. in his first collaboration with Ashwin Kumar. The audio rights for the Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions were acquired by Think Music, while the Hindi version was acquired by Ishtar Music.^[27][28][29]

Mahavatar Narsimha had its premiere on 25 November 2024 at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024 under the Indian Panorama section. It was premiered in Hindi language.^[30]

The film was initially scheduled for release in theatres on 3 April 2025, but was postponed and released on 25 July 2025.^[31] It was theatrically released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam languages.^[32]

A motion poster of the film was released on 16 November 2024.^[33] A teaser trailer of the film was released on 14 January 2025, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.^[34] The trailer of the film was released on 9 July 2025.^[35]

The distribution rights were acquired by AA Films in North India and Nepal.^[36] The film's presenter Hombale Films handled the acquisition for the Karnataka distribution rights.^[37] The distribution rights in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were acquired by Geetha Arts. The Kerala distribution rights were sold to Prithviraj Productions.^[38] The distribution rights in Tamil Nadu were acquired by Think Studios and S Picture.^[39]

The overseas distribution rights in North America were bought by Prathyangira Cinemas.^[40]The distribution rights in Middle East were acquired by Phars Film Co.^[41]The Australia and New Zealand distribution rights were sold to Tolly Movies International.^[42]The theatrical rights in United Kingdom were sold to Dreamz Entertainment.^[43]The distribution rights in Singapore and Sri Lanka were acquired by Home Screen Entertainment.^[44][45]The Malaysia distribution rights were acquired by DMY Creations.^[46]The distribution rights in Europe were bought by 4 Seasons Creations.^[47]

Ahana Tiwari of Zee News gave 4/5 stars and wrote, "In the end, Mahavatar Narsimha might be far from perfect, yet standing as a quietly confident and emotionally effective film that successfully delivers a deeply moving and devotional cinematic experience. While not without its flaws, it more than compensates with its heart, message, and the sheer sincerity of its storytelling".^[48] Anurag Singh Bohra of India Today rated the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Overall, the film makes for a compelling watch for its emotional relatability and stunning depiction of Narsimha in the goosebump-inducing climax".^[49] Susmita Sameera of The Times of India rated it 3/5 stars and wrote, "Mahavatar Narsimha is made with sincerity and ambition. As a first attempt, it lays the groundwork for a promising future in Indian animated devotional cinema. It is certainly worth experiencing in theatres—for both its pioneering effort and its visual ambition".^[50]

Bhawna Arya of Times Now gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "To sum it up, Mahavatar Narsimha by Hombale is an animated film that beautifully and eloquently celebrates the fierceness of Vishnu's incarnation with breathtaking artistry and heartfelt storytelling".^[51] Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "In the time of larger-than-life action spectacles and rom-coms, experiencing a movie like Mahavatar Narsimha definitely evokes different kinds of positive and holistic emotions".^[52] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "The climax is world-class, even if ultra-violent, with body parts and blood flowing generously. Trigger warning for small kids. And yourself, if you are faint-hearted. But hey, demons being torn to pieces feels as if justice has been done: our gods really know how to do the Avengers thing".^[53]

Mahavatar Narsimha collected ₹2.29 crores on its opening day.^[54] In its first week, the film grossed ₹53 crores, including ₹32.82 crores from the Hindi version.^[55][56] The net collection across India amounted to ₹43.50 crores.^[9] On the eighth day, the collections reached ₹62 crores worldwide, including ₹38 crores from the Hindi version and ₹13 crores from the Telugu version.^[8][57]

• Dashavatara
• Ramayana: The Epic
• Arjun: The Warrior Prince

• Mahavatar Narsimha at IMDb
• Mahavatar Narsimha at Bollywood Hungama
• Mahavatar Narsimha at Rotten Tomatoes