Massive global box office start expected for Ranbir Kapoor and Yash-starrer Ramayana

Ramayana is set for a massive global box office opening with a projected start of ₹ 160 crore, despite missing out on breaking all-time opening records.

Box Office Numbers

Advance bookings for the film opened globally on Dussehra, 15 days before release. In India, ticket booking faced initial delays due to a revenue-sharing disagreement between exhibitors and distributors. By Wednesday morning, India pre-sales reached ₹ 77 crore for the opening weekend, with ₹ 33 crore coming from the opening day alone. Overseas pre-sales hit $5.6 million, including $1.5 million from North American paid previews, pushing total global advance bookings to ₹ 125 crore. Trade insiders estimate a global day-one start of ₹ 160 crore, though conservative estimates sit at ₹ 150 crore.

Comparisons and Records

Distributed by Sony across 70,000 screens worldwide, Ramayana is securing the widest release in Indian cinema history. However, it will likely miss a ₹ 200-crore opening day, staying behind all-time record holders like Pushpa 2 at ₹ 274 crore, RRR at ₹ 223 crore, and Baahubali 2 at ₹ 214 crore. It is also set to miss the top five list, which Kalki 2898 AD closes at ₹ 176 crore, and Dhurandhar 2's Bollywood record of ₹ 205 crore. Even so, it will easily surpass the opening days of the previous adaptation Adipurush at ₹ 127 crore, Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan at ₹ 129 crore, and Ranbir Kapoor's own Animal at ₹ 116 crore.

Cast and Production

Produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios, DNEG, and Yash's Monster Mind Creations, the film is planned in two parts, with the first part releasing worldwide on November 5, 2026, and the second part arriving at Diwali 2028. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.

Context

Major multi-part cinematic projects often secure extensive global screen counts to capitalize on pre-release buzz and festival windows. Revenue-sharing negotiations between theater owners and film distributors frequently cause last-minute ticketing delays in the Indian film market.