 Why virtual reality? 

Why pick a mythological universe for VR?

Is niche targeting central to your VR vision?

What went into making this 5-min VR film?

Will you go beyond the Gita in your VR work?

Any govt or local tie-ups for VR rollout?

What’s the unit economics of VR rollout?

What’s your VR content distribution plan?

How will the VR experience work on-site?

Exploring brand tie-ups or other revenues?

Any plans to partner with VR hardware giants?

How did AI speed up the VR film creation?

What’s holding back VR storytelling in India?

Conclusion

Credits

Virtual Reality in India has long been seen as a futuristic gaming gimmick flashy, expensive, and niche. But that’s changing. Host Anirban Chowdhury and ETs Rajesh Naidu talk to national award winning film maker Ram Madhvani (Neerja, Aarya) who is reimagining VR as a cultural and spiritual experience. His latest project? A five-minute immersive film on the Bhagavad Gita not for streaming, but to be experienced through VR headsets in temples, forts, and museums across India. With plans to roll out 100 such films by 2028 and place headsets in cultural hubs, Madhvani wants to democratize VR not through Silicon Valley, but through Bharat. Priced at just ₹100, these bite-sized experiences could bring in pilgrims, students, and families, not just gamers and techies. As India’s spiritual tourism surges and the government pushes cultural pride, could this be the unlikely tipping point for VR adoption in the country? We dive into the vision, the tech, the economics and the big bet on storytelling as India’s gateway to the metaverse.

Tune in.

You can follow Rajesh Naidu on his Linkedin, Twitter profiles and read his Newspaper Articles. 

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and Linkedin

Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, Health Hazards in your Grocery Bag, Trump vs Harvard: India Impact, Explaining India’s Record FDI Freefall and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

CREDITS: Jaroslav Beck - Topic, Happydent, DisneyPlus Hotstar_IN, Fox Star Studios

Virtual Reality in India has long been seen as a futuristic gaming gimmick flashy, expensive, and niche. But that&rsquo;s changing. Host Anirban Chowdhury and ETs Rajesh Naidu talk to national award winning film maker Ram Madhvani (Neerja, Aarya) who is reimagining VR as a cultural and spiritual experience. His latest project? A five-minute immersive film on the Bhagavad Gita not for streaming, but to be experienced through VR headsets in temples, forts, and museums across India. With plans to roll out 100 such films by 2028 and place headsets in cultural hubs, Madhvani wants to democratize VR not through Silicon Valley, but through Bharat. Priced at just ₹100, these bite-sized experiences could bring in pilgrims, students, and families, not just gamers and techies. As India&rsquo;s spiritual tourism surges and the government pushes cultural pride, could this be the unlikely tipping point for VR adoption in the country? We dive into the vision, the tech, the economics and the big bet on storytelling as India&rsquo;s gateway to the metaverse. Tune in. You can follow Rajesh Naidu on his <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeshnnaidu/">Linkedin</a>, <a href="https://x.com/rajesh_nb_naidu">Twitter</a> profiles and read his <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/etreporter/author-rajesh-naidu-479201237.cms?from=mdr">Newspaper Articles</a>. You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: <a href="https://twitter.com/AnirbanET">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirban-chowdhury-b5067219/">Linkedin </a>Check out other interesting episodes from the host like: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000702130670">Tariffs trump trade</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000712174615">Health Hazards in your Grocery Bag</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000710947447">Trump vs Harvard: India Impact</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000710014158">Explaining India&rsquo;s Record FDI Freefall</a> and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">much more</a>. Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on <a href="https://www.etplay.com/etplay">ET Play</a>, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr">The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_">JioSaavn</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief">Amazon Music</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts">Youtube</a>. CREDITS: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlr1cRWoh2s&amp;list=PL6qq9IonXQaHAbPYwIus6Hr_0-0JGoMJs&amp;index=4">Jaroslav Beck - Topic</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CRxIaZcDNM">Happydent</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYajW2ePmFQ">DisneyPlus Hotstar_IN</a>, Fox Star Studios

To make sense of the week’s hottest stories in business, economy, politics and markets, journalists from the Economic Times chat with reporters and industry leaders in this thrice-weekly (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) podcast.

The Morning Brief

Ram Madhvani on Blending VR, AI and Bharat