Ramayana movie review, release live updates: India's biggest film arrives, Ranbir-Yash-starrer set to shatter records

Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has opened in cinemas worldwide as the most expensive Indian film made to date, bringing a large-scale adaptation of the epic to audiences across 70,000 screens.

A major theatrical launch

The film released on November 5, following paid preview shows in the United States and Canada on November 4. Advance bookings had crossed ₹150 crore before release, with more than ₹80 crore attributed to the opening day.

Backed by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and produced by Malhotra and Yash, the film reportedly carries a budget of ₹1,600 crore. Sony Pictures is distributing it internationally outside India, while Dharma Productions is handling the Hindi-speaking market.

Star cast and international talent

Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita and Yash appears as Ravana. The cast also includes Ravie Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Kajal Aggarwal and Anupam Kher.

Sunny Deol is set to play Lord Hanuman in the two-film project, although his character reportedly appears only in Part 2. The film is planned as the first instalment of a duology.

The production combines Indian talent with international expertise. Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman have composed the music together for the first time, while visual effects come from DNEG, the eight-time Oscar-winning studio.

Source material and next chapter

The screenplay, written by Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan, adapts Valmiki’s epic while also drawing on other traditions, including Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas. With Part 1 now in theatres, the project’s larger story is set to continue in its planned second chapter.