Mahavatar Narsimha is a 2024[b] Indian animated epicmythologicalaction film directed by Ashwin Kumar in his directorial debut, written by Jayapurna Das, produced by Kleem Productions, and presented by Hombale Films.[9][10] The film is the first installment in the planned animated seven-part Mahavatar Cinematic Universe, based on the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.[c]
The film chronicles the divine incarnations of Lord Vishnu, they are Varaha and Narasimha. 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 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.[18]
Sage Kashyapa is engaged in evening prayers when one of his wives, Diti, approaches him for children. Kashyapa requests Diti to be patient as this is an inauspicious time for union, but she remains adamant. Kashyapa relents out of marital duty, but declares that since Diti approached him during an inauspicious hour, she shall give birth to two Daityas who shall provoke enmity with Vishnu and terrorize his devotees. Kashyapa also declares that the two Daityas shall be slain by Vishnu for their crimes. Diti gives birth to two sons, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha, who are instructed in tamasic knowledge and mystical powers under the guidance of Shukracharya. As they grow in power, the brothers wage war on the universe.
The younger brother, Hiranyaksha, kidnaps Bhudevi (Mother Earth) and imprisons her in the Garbodhak ocean to provoke Vishnu, 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. Varaha rescues Bhudevi and kills Hiranyaksha in the subsequent duel.
Devastated by the death of his beloved brother and consumed by vengeance, Hiranyakashipu retreats into the Himalayas for deep tapasya (penance). His austerities shake the cosmos and ultimately earn him a boon from Brahma: he cannot be slain by any creation of Brahma, be it a god, man or beast, day or night, indoors or outdoors, on land or in the sky, by weapon or by hand. Believing himself now invincible, Hiranyakashipu declares war on the Devas, conquers their realms, and proclaims himself “God of the Universe.”
But the divine has its own mysterious ways. During Hiranyakashipu's absence, Indra abducts his pregnant wife, Kayadhu. However, Sage Narada intervenes in the role of a Guru (spiritual guide) and advises Indra to uphold dharma (righteous conduct), even in times of adversity. Narada then offers shelter to Kayadhu in his ashram and instructs her in the path of devotion to Vishnu, teachings which are absorbed by her unborn child Prahlad while still in the womb.
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 Lord Vishnu, chanting his name with unwavering faith. Prahlad had imbibed Narada's teachings before he was born. Hiranyakshipu urges the sons of Shukracharya to teach the boy better, but they fail to do so. Infuriated, the demon king subjects Prahlad to unimaginable torments: mad elephants, having him thrown from a cliff and more. But Prahlad emerges unharmed each time, protected by the very force his father seeks to destroy. Hiranyakashipu orders his sister Holika, who has power on fire, to take Prahlad with her as he is burned to the stake. However, Holika's boon backfired and is burnt to death while Prahlad remains unscathed. Hiranyakashipu has him thrown into the sea, only for Varuna to save Prahlad. On Varuna's suggestion, Prahlad calls out to Lord Vishnu, who finally appears before the boy. Vishnu expresses his eagerness to meet his devotee and reassures Prahlad that he considers himself a servant (dāsa) of his true devotees. Pleased with Prahlad's devotion, Vishnu grants him the boon that the boy shall perceive him in every animate and inanimate object in the universe.
Upon returning home, Prahlad is mocked by his father, who sarcastically asks if Vishnu is present within a nearby pillar. Prahlad affirms that he is. Enraged, Hiranyakashipu strikes the pillar, from which emerges Lord Narasimha a terrifying incarnation of Vishnu with the body of a man and the head of a lion. A massive battle ensues, during which Narasimha slaughters many Asuras. Narasimha ultimately defeats Hiranyakashipu and kills him through evisceration in a manner that circumvents Brahma’s boon: at twilight (neither day nor night), on a threshold (neither indoors nor outdoors), on his lap (neither earth nor sky), using his claws (neither weapon nor bare hands), and as Narasimha (neither man, god, beast, nor a creation of Brahma).
Following Hiranyakashipu’s death, the gods request Prahlad to pacify Narasimha's rage. Moved by Prahlad’s devotion, Narasimha calms and blesses him, stating that his father Hiranyakashipu's sins have been absolved through divine contact. Narada lightheartedly reminds Indra that Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu are the first of three incarnations of Jaya and Vijaya in Satya Yuga, the cursed dvarapalakas (gatekeepers) of Vaikuntha, who are destined to be reborn as enemies of Vishnu across three yugas. Surrounding devotees, along with the gods and demigods gather in reverence to perform the "Narasimha Aarti", a devotional hymn praising Lord Narasimha for his fierce protection and boundless grace.
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][22]
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."[23] The animation process spanned roughly four and a half years, with meticulous attention to photorealism.[24]
In an interview[25] published on the official channel of Hombale Films, director Ashwin Kumar mentioned his personal visit to Raktkund at Ahobila Matha, and explained how his team have incorporated various historical and scriptural references—most notably archaeological sites such as the Ahobila Nava Narasimha Swamy temples, restored burnt shrine of Yog-Narasimha in Hampi,[26] probable ruins of Prahladpuri Temple, Multan etc. and sacred texts like the Vishnu Purana, Narasimha Purana, Varaha Purana, Padma Purana and Shrimad Bhagavata Purana—to shape the narrative similar to trend shown in the film Ram Setu.
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]
Release
Premiere
Mahavatar Narsimha had its premiere on 25 November 2024 at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2024 under the Indian Panorama section. [30] It was premiered in Hindi language.[31]
Theatrical
The film was initially scheduled for release in theatres on 3 April 2025, but was postponed and released on 25 July 2025.[32] It was theatrically released in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam languages.[33] The theatrical version had a runtime of 131 minutes, 10 minutes less than the Film Festival version.
Marketing
A motion poster of the film was released on 16 November 2024.[34] A teaser trailer of the film was released on 14 January 2025, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.[35] The trailer of the film was released on 9 July 2025.[36]
The overseas distribution rights in North America were bought by Prathyangira Cinemas.[42]The distribution rights in Middle East were acquired by Phars Film Co.[43]The Australia and New Zealand distribution rights were sold to Tolly Movies International.[44]The theatrical rights in United Kingdom were sold to Dreamz Entertainment.[45]The distribution rights in Singapore and Sri Lanka were acquired by Home Screen Entertainment.[46][47]The Malaysia distribution rights were acquired by DMY Creations.[48]The distribution rights in Europe were bought by 4 Seasons Creations.[49]
Reception
Box office
Mahavatar Narsimha collected ₹2.29 crores on its opening day.[50] In its first week, the film grossed ₹53 crores, including ₹32.82 crores from the Hindi version.[51][52] The net collection across India amounted to ₹43.50 crores.[53] On the eighth day, the collections reached ₹62 crores worldwide, including ₹38 crores from the Hindi version and ₹13 crores from the Telugu version.[54][55]
The film earned ₹171 crore nett by third weekend and crossed ₹200 crore globally.[56][57] It grossed over ₹282 crore in twenty seven days.[58]
Critical response
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".[59] 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".[60] 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".[61]
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".[62] 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".[63] 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".[64]
Future
Future timeline
In June 2025, the makers announced plans to expand Mahavatar Narsimha into a larger animated franchise, Mahavatar Cinematic Universe based on the avatars of Lord Vishnu. Director Ashwin Kumar and Kleem Productions, in association with Hombale Films, revealed a 12-year plan to adapt the Dashavatara in an interconnected series of 3D-animated films.[65][66][67][68]
The Universe is planned to release new instalments every two years, from 2025 to 2037, reimagining each avatar with modern cinematic storytelling for global audiences. While Mahavatar Narsimha serves as the launch, future entries will follow the remaining avatars in chronological order.[69][70][71][72]
As of July 2025, seven films have been announced in the Mahavatar Cinematic Universe. The franchise begins with Narasimha and ends with a two-part finale on Kalki. Each film is based on a different avatar of Vishnu, either individually or thematically.[65][66][67][68]
↑ There is no clear evidence of primary language. The film's main languages are deemed to be Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu according to the Indian film censorship body.
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