The countdown to one of Indian cinema's most expensive and talked-about films is in its final stretch, and the ticket windows are already busy. Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part One, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Yash as Ravana, had sold more than five lakh tickets for its opening day in India by Sunday afternoon, November 1, with pre-sales crossing Rs 22 crore gross including blocked seats, according to trade tracker Sacnilk. The film hits theatres worldwide on Thursday, November 5.
The Numbers So Far
Sacnilk's overall report, updated at 1:20 pm on November 1, put the opening-day (November 5) advance at about Rs 22.77 crore gross including blocked seats, or roughly Rs 18.98 crore without them. That came from around 5.07 lakh tickets across nearly 12,900 shows, with average occupancy of about 18 percent.
Bookings for the second day, Friday, November 6, had separately reached close to Rs 12 crore gross. Together, the first two days account for close to Rs 35 crore in advance sales in India, and the number is still climbing with three days left.
Ramayana Advance Booking: Key Figures
| Release date | Thursday, November 5, 2026 |
| Day 1 India advance (incl. blocked seats) | About Rs 22.77 crore gross |
| Day 1 India advance (excl. blocked seats) | About Rs 18.98 crore gross |
| Day 1 tickets sold | About 5.07 lakh (4.16 lakh excl. blocks) |
| Day 1 shows | About 12,900 |
| Day 2 India advance | About Rs 11.95 crore gross |
| Overseas pre-sales (as of Oct 31) | About $3.86 million |
| Top overseas market | North America, about 74% of overseas pre-sales |
| Data source | Sacnilk (India), trade trackers (overseas); as of Nov 1 |
Where the Tickets Are Selling
Business Today's breakdown of the Sacnilk data shows the big cities doing the heavy lifting. Delhi-NCR led with around Rs 3.45 crore, followed closely by Bengaluru at about Rs 3.27 crore and Mumbai at about Rs 2.72 crore. Hyderabad and Pune each crossed the Rs 1 crore mark. The top ten cities together contributed roughly two-thirds of the opening-day advance.
Bengaluru stands out. With occupancy above 30 percent, it is outpacing Mumbai in ticket count, and the Kannada version alone has collected over Rs 2.5 crore, a clear sign of the pull of Yash, who is also a co-producer through his banner Monster Mind Creations.
By language, the Hindi version dominates with over 80 percent of sales. Kannada follows, with Telugu at around Rs 1 crore and Tamil still small. Trade watchers point out that bookings in some South Indian languages opened later, so those numbers could rise sharply in the final days.
Overseas Buzz
Abroad, the film had sold over 2 lakh tickets worth about $3.86 million as of October 31, according to overseas trade trackers. North America accounts for nearly three-fourths of that, with the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand also contributing. Trade trackers reported a jump in US premiere bookings after first reactions from the film's Los Angeles world premiere.
How It Compares
For context, Ramayana is still behind the record pre-sales of Dhurandhar 2, which according to OneIndia's report had raised far more worldwide in advance bookings. But Ramayana commands higher average ticket prices overseas, and its premium-format shows, including IMAX, are in strong demand. Some trade estimates have pegged a possible Rs 70 crore opening in India, though final numbers will depend on walk-ins and word of mouth on Thursday.
About the Film
Ramayana: Part One is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios with DNEG and Monster Mind Creations. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Ravie Dubey is Lakshman, Yash is Ravana and Sunny Deol is Hanuman. The music is by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
The film releases in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, in IMAX and other premium formats. Dharma Productions is handling distribution in the Hindi-speaking market, while Sony Pictures handles international markets. Ramayana: Part Two is scheduled for Diwali 2027.
What It Means for Moviegoers
If you are planning to watch on day one, book early. Premium-format and prime-time shows in the metros are filling up the fastest. Morning shows and weekday slots after the opening weekend are likely to be easier to get.
What Happens Next
Advance numbers usually spike in the last 48 hours before release, especially once South Indian bookings fully open. The real test begins on Thursday, when first-day reviews and audience reactions will decide whether Ramayana can turn its pre-release buzz into a record-breaking run through the Diwali holidays.
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