Ramayana movie arrives in cinemas worldwide on 5 November 2026, and it is the biggest Indian release of the year by almost any measure. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this first part retells one of the world’s oldest and most loved epics with Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita at its centre.
Image Credit: Sony Pictures — Official Trailer/Poster via YouTube
The film is being shown overseas as Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. In India it is Ramayana: Part 1, the opening chapter of a planned two-part adaptation. The second part is scheduled for Diwali 2027, so this November release is deliberately only the beginning of the story.
Ramayana movie release date, formats and languages
Ramayana movie releases worldwide on Thursday, 5 November 2026, just before Diwali. Some overseas listings show 6 November for certain territories, including Germany, but the makers’ worldwide date is 5 November, and tickets are already on sale.
The film will play in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam in India, with an English version for international audiences. It has been filmed for IMAX, and it will also play in IMAX 3D and other premium large formats, alongside standard 2D and 3D shows.
Trade reports put the Indian cut at around 3 hours 15 minutes, with a shorter international English cut of around 2 hours 45 minutes. Those runtime figures come from trade and booking listings, not from a single official runtime announcement, so check your local cinema listing for the exact show length.
No streaming date has been announced. Ramayana movie is a cinema-only release for now, and any OTT date or platform will only be confirmed after its theatrical run.
The story Ramayana movie tells in Part 1
Ramayana movie follows Rama, a prince bound by sacrifice, and Ravana, an immortal king driven by vengeance, with a prophecy binding their fates together. That is the official framing from Sony Pictures, and it tells you exactly where Part 1 is heading.
The first part sets up the world, the duty that shapes Rama’s life, and the power that makes Ravana so dangerous. It is not trying to squeeze the whole epic into one film. By splitting the story in two, the makers have room for the exile, the forest, the relationships and the growing conflict, without rushing the moments that give the epic its emotional weight.
The new trailer leans into that contrast. Ravana is introduced through fire and fury, a ruler determined to make everyone bow before him. Rama, by contrast, is calm and composed. The trailer’s own line sums it up: humanity had one hope, not a god, but a man, Rama.
That contrast is the heart of the film. It is not only a battle between a hero and a villain. It is a clash between restraint and unchecked power, between duty and vengeance, and the trailer makes that clash visual long before a single battle begins.
Ramayana movie cast: who plays who
Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama. His Rama is presented as serene rather than showy, a man carrying duty quietly, and the trailer gives him some of its most striking images, including a forest fight with bow and arrows against a giant creature.
Yash plays Ravana, and he also serves as a co-producer on the film. His Ravana is terrifying in the new trailer, challenging Indra, played by Kunal Kapoor, and sending Indra’s celestial elephant Airavata crashing to the ground. It is a deliberately bold introduction, and it sets Ravana up as a force of nature rather than a background villain.
Sai Pallavi plays Sita. Her bond with Rama gives the spectacle its emotional centre, and the trailer returns to that relationship again and again. In a film full of kingdoms, forests and large battle sequences, Sita is not decoration. She carries the emotional and ethical weight of the journey, and her story is central to why the conflict matters.
Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, while Ravi Dubey plays Lakshman, Rama’s loyal brother. Around them, the ensemble includes Arun Govil as King Dasharatha, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara, Adinath Kothare as Bharat and Rakul Preet Singh as Surpanakha.
The trailer also offers brief glimpses of Pushpaka Vimana, the celestial flying chariot, and Jatayu, the heroic bird who tries to protect Sita from Ravana. Those details will matter to viewers who know the epic well, and they signal that Part 1 is building its world carefully rather than rushing past it.
What the new Ramayana movie trailer shows
The second, international trailer, unveiled at a Bengaluru event in mid-October with Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravi Dubey, composer A. R. Rahman and director Nitesh Tiwari present, expands on the central conflict between Rama and Ravana.
It opens on Ravana’s power, moves to Rama’s composure, and then widens out to kingdoms, forests and battle. The makers’ message for the trailer is simple: mankind’s greatest story comes to life. The visuals back that up, with large-scale effects work and a sense of scale that is clearly built for the biggest screen available.
Watch the official trailer here:
For viewers deciding how to watch, that trailer is also a useful guide. If the scale and the sound are what draw you in, IMAX or another premium large format is the version the film was made for. If you prefer a standard screening, the story, the cast and the central conflict will still carry the film.
The makers behind Ramayana movie
Ramayana movie is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, whose film Dangal remains the highest-grossing Indian film worldwide. The screenplay is by Shridhar Raghavan, and the film is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios, in collaboration with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.
The music is by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, a pairing that alone tells you how ambitious the production is. DNEG handles the visual effects, and the film draws on visual artists associated with large-scale epics. Sony Pictures is distributing the film internationally, outside India, while Dharma Productions handles distribution in the Hindi-speaking market.
That combination of Indian storytelling and international-scale production is the film’s biggest gamble, and its biggest selling point. Ramayana is known to billions of people, but it has never been attempted on this scale as a live-action two-part film.
Why Ramayana movie is arriving as a two-part epic
Splitting Ramayana into two films is a practical choice as much as a creative one. The epic is too large, and too layered, to fit into a single satisfying film without cutting the very scenes that make it endure.
Part 1 can therefore take its time with Rama’s world, his family, his exile and the rise of Ravana’s threat. Part 2, planned for Diwali 2027, can then carry the war and its consequences without having to rush the setup.
It also changes how audiences watch. This is not a film you finish in one sitting and forget. It is the first chapter of a story that will return next Diwali, and Part 1’s job is to make you care enough about Rama, Sita and Ravana to come back.
Should you watch Ramayana movie in IMAX?
If you love large-scale epics, mythology or event cinema, this is an easy yes, and IMAX is the format the film was shot for. The trailer’s battle sequences, forests and kingdoms are built for a large screen, and the Zimmer and Rahman score will benefit from premium sound.
If you are mainly here for the story and the performances, a standard screening will still give you the full narrative. The cast, especially the Rama and Ravana contrast, is the film’s core, and that works in any format.
Families should note that the Indian cut has been reported with a U certificate, while the US rating is PG-13 for sequences of strong violence and action and some bloody images. Check your local certificate before booking with younger viewers.
For another new release to watch, read our piece on Avedon here.
Frequently asked questions
When does Ramayana movie release?
Ramayana movie releases worldwide on 5 November 2026, with some overseas territories listing 6 November. Part 2 is planned for Diwali 2027.
Who plays Rama, Ravana and Sita in Ramayana?
Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Yash plays Ravana and Sai Pallavi plays Sita in Ramayana.
Who directed Ramayana?
Nitesh Tiwari directed Ramayana, with a screenplay by Shridhar Raghavan and music by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman.
In which languages will Ramayana release?
Ramayana releases in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam in India, with an English version overseas, where it is titled Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.
Is Ramayana available on OTT?
No OTT date or platform has been announced. Ramayana is a cinema-only release for now.
How long is Ramayana?
Trade reports put the Indian cut at around 3 hours 15 minutes, with a shorter international English cut of around 2 hours 45 minutes. Check your local cinema listing for the exact length.
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