Ramayana’s world premiere in Los Angeles was meant to be a grand global moment. Instead, it has started a debate. The film’s English version, screened first to international audiences, has drawn mixed early reactions, and many are now asking whether the move was necessary at all.
A Shorter Cut for the World
At the premiere, the team screened the English version of Ramayana, which runs nearly 30 minutes shorter than the Indian version. The Indian cut has a runtime of 3 hours and 15 minutes.
The film was shown to an invite-only audience of Hollywood figures, filmmakers and international press at the Academy Museum.
Reactions All Over the Place
The early reactions have been a mix. Some viewers have given extremely positive responses. Others have called it mixed, and a few have been negative.
For a film like Ramayana, which is still days away from release, that kind of divided talk is the last thing the team would have wanted.
Indian Audiences Are the Core
Ramayana does have big global ambitions. But its main audience is clearly in India.
The Ramayana is not just a story for Indian audiences. It’s an epic they have grown up with, filled with emotion, faith and cultural meaning. The way they connect with it is very different from how a Hollywood critic or a first-time international viewer might see it.
That’s why showing a shorter, international version to a global audience first was a risky choice. The film’s first reactions came from the audience least likely to feel that deep connection.
The Ranabaali Lesson
What Could Have Been Done
A better approach could have been to release the film for Indian audiences first, or at least at the same time as the global release. Then the team could have taken it market by market across the world, building on the response from home.
That way, the first wave of word of mouth would have come from the audience the film was made for.
Everything Rests on India Now
The real test begins on November 5, when Ramayana releases in India. If Indian audiences connect with it the way the makers hope, the early international reactions won’t matter much.
But with a ₹2,000 Cr break-even target and slower-than-expected advance bookings, the team can’t afford any more mixed signals.
