The countdown for Ramayana has officially begun. The makers have announced November 5 as the release date for Nitesh Tiwari’s mythological epic, and advance bookings in India will open this Dussehra, exactly eight days from now. Overseas bookings open even earlier, from October 15. With the biggest budget ever for an Indian film, Ramayana now carries a huge responsibility, and its first big target is clear: beat Dhurandhar 2’s opening.
Bookings, Premieres and One More Trailer
The release plan is being built to capitalise on the festive season. Advance bookings in India will open from Dussehra, giving the film more than two weeks of pre-sales before release. Overseas bookings begin from October 15.
The team is also planning paid premieres on the night of November 4 to make the most of the craze. Another short trailer is also likely to be released before bookings open, to build more momentum.
The film’s runtime is said to be around 200 minutes. For a story of this size, that kind of runtime is expected, and big epics have often worked with long durations.
Why Ramayana Must Aim for Records
Ramayana is the most expensive film ever made in Indian cinema. With that scale comes a simple expectation: the film needs to aim for all-time records everywhere.
The trade is already expecting it to post the biggest opening ever for Bollywood. But that alone will not be enough.
First Target: Dhurandhar 2’s ₹190 Cr
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 currently holds the biggest opening for a Bollywood film, with around ₹190 Cr gross worldwide on Day 1, including premieres across all languages. That is the first number Ramayana has to beat.
For the scale it has, Ramayana needs a ₹200 Cr+ worldwide start at the very least, and should be aiming even higher.
The ₹200 Cr Opening Club
Only three Indian films have opened to more than ₹200 The ₹200 Cr Opening Club gross worldwide: Baahubali 2, RRR and Pushpa 2. All three are pan-Indian blockbusters, and Ramayana, with its five-language release, premium formats and festival-season timing, must aim to join this club.
The Full Run: ₹1500 Cr Is the Minimum
The opening is only the start. In its full run, Ramayana has to chase the biggest grossers in Indian cinema, films like Dhurandhar 2, Pushpa 2 and Baahubali 2. Given its scale and budget, a minimum of ₹1500 Cr+ gross worldwide is the target it needs to set.
The Biggest Team Ever Assembled
Ramayana is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, with Yash co-producing under Monster Mind Creations. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita and Yash plays Ravana. The music is composed by Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman, and the VFX is handled by DNEG. Sony Pictures is handling the international distribution, while Dharma Productions is releasing the film in North India.
With bookings opening in days, the next few weeks will show whether Ramayana can match its massive scale with record-breaking numbers.
