After years of announcements, set pictures and a record-breaking run of advance bookings, Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana finally reached theatres on Thursday, November 5. The first part of the two-film epic stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita, and early shows across India have produced a wave of reactions, from five-star raves to more measured verdicts.
The film is releasing in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam during the Diwali season, and its makers are clearly betting on it becoming one of the biggest theatrical events of the year.
Ramayana Part 1: the basics
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, who co-wrote the film with Shridhar Raghavan, Ramayana is produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash, with Prime Focus Studios, DNEG and Monster Mind Creations behind it. The music is a collaboration between AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer, a pairing that has been one of the film's biggest talking points since it was announced.
| Release date | November 5, 2026 |
| Director | Nitesh Tiwari |
| Producers | Namit Malhotra, Yash |
| Lead cast | Ranbir Kapoor (Rama), Yash (Ravana), Sai Pallavi (Sita), Ravi Dubey (Lakshmana) |
| Music | AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer |
| Runtime | About 3 hours 15 minutes |
| Certificate | U |
| Languages | Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam |
Alongside the leads, Ravi Dubey plays Lakshmana, Arun Govil appears as King Dasharatha and Lara Dutta as Queen Kaikeyi. The wider ensemble includes Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor and Adinath Kothare.
What critics are saying
The loudest praise so far has been for the scale of the film. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh gave it five stars on social media and called it a stunning cinematic experience, singling out the action, the production design and Ranbir Kapoor's performance. Pinkvilla's review rated the film four out of five and described it as one of the most visually striking ventures Indian cinema has produced, recommending it as a big-screen watch for the visuals alone.
Not everyone is fully sold. Critic Christopher Kanagaraj called the film average: he liked the visual effects, the portions featuring Yash and the Jatayu sequence, but felt the music, the emotional track between Rama and Sita, the story and the long runtime held it back.
Yash's Ravana steals the early buzz
If there is one point most early viewers agree on, it is Yash. Filmmaker Karan Johar wrote that Yash's Ravana was mesmerising and singled out his sequence in the film. Filmibeat's Aashu Mishra called the film a visual extravaganza with effects close to Hollywood standards, said Yash owns the screen as Ravana, and noted that a post-credits scene drew the loudest cheers in his show.
Rapper Badshah said the film moved him to tears and praised the background score and the Jatayu scene. Actor Sunil Lahri, remembered by many as Lakshman from the original television Ramayan, said some of the songs disappointed him and that he would have liked more of the local flavour of Mithila and Ayodhya in the music.
Box office: a strong start expected
Pre-release ticket sales point to a big opening. Filmibeat reported advance bookings of around 13.46 lakh tickets in India before the first shows, among the highest of 2026. Box office tracker Sacnilk, in an early estimate on Thursday morning, said bookings for the second day alone had already crossed Rs 22 crore gross. Final first-day figures are expected late on Thursday night or on Friday morning, and early estimates usually change sharply once evening shows are counted.
What it means for audiences
For moviegoers, the big question is whether the spectacle justifies a three-hour-plus sitting. Early reactions suggest the film works best on the largest screen you can find, and that viewers who come for the visuals, the action and Yash's Ravana are likely to leave happy. Those expecting a deep emotional retelling may find the reactions more mixed. With a U certificate, the film is suitable for family viewing during the festive holidays.
What happens next
Ramayana has been planned as a two-part project, and its first-weekend numbers will set the tone for the sequel. Watch for the official first-day collection, word of mouth over the weekend and how the regional versions perform, especially in Karnataka, where advance sales were among the strongest in the country.
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