The project was announced in May 2017 as a live-action adaptation of Valmiki's Ramayana, initially conceived as a trilogy by producers. Following several years of development and script refinement, the project was restructured as a two-part film series under Tiwari's sole direction.
Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman collaborated to compose the score, marking Zimmer's debut work in the Indian film industry. Filming began in April 2024 at Film City, Mumbai, and continued until July 2025. With an estimated budget of ₹4,000 crore (US$420 million), it is set to be the most expensive Indian film ever made.
Ramayana: Part 1 was premiered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on 27 October 2026, and is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November coinciding with the Diwali holidays.
Premise
The narrative chronicles the early life and trials of Prince Rama, the righteous heir apparent to the kingdom of Ayodhya. Mentored by the venerable sage Vishvamitra, Rama establishes his martial and spiritual virtue by vanquishing the malevolent Rakshasi, Tataka. His journey progresses to the kingdom of Mithila, where he successfully strings the Pinaka (the divine bow of Lord Shiva) during a royal swayamvara, thereby securing the hand of Princess Sita in marriage.
However, the rightful succession is disrupted by dynastic intrigue when his stepmother, Queen Kaikeyi, invokes ancient boons to demand Rama's disenfranchisement and his subsequent fourteen-year exile. Bound by unwavering filial piety and dharma, Rama renounces the throne and departs for the perilous Dandaka Forest, accompanied by his devoted wife, Sita, and his loyal brother, Lakshmana. The exiles' ascetic existence is violently upended when Ravana, the formidable Rakshasa monarch of Lanka, orchestrates Sita's abduction through the illusory manifestation of a golden deer (Maricha). The installment culminates in this profound severance, initiating Rama and Lakshmana's arduous quest to locate the abducted princess and setting the stage for an impending cosmic conflict.
Production
Origins
In May 2017, producers Allu Aravind, Namit Malhotra, and Madhu Mantena announced their plans to collaborate and adapt the Hindu Sanskrit epic Ramayana into a live-action feature film trilogy. They revealed that the development of the script had already been underway for nearly a year. It was envisioned as a multilingual production in Hindi along with several Indian regional languages and English. It was planned to be shot in 3D. Allu Aravind stated that his ambition was to bring Ramayana to the big screen in the "most magnificent way possible", while acknowledging that adapting the epic into a trilogy was an immense responsibility. Namit Malhotra, whose company Prime Focus had contributed visual effects to major Hollywood films like Star Wars, Transformers, X-Men: Apocalypse and The Martian until then, saw in the trilogy the potential to set new global benchmarks for Indian cinema. In February 2018, Mantena revealed that his inspiration to make the film series came from the life and work of Indian comic book writer Anant Pai, who had created the Amar Chitra Katha comics. He added that the film series was their collective effort in retelling Indian culture to newer generations in all possible "audio visual glory", with the help of the latest technology and visual effects. As the last widely recognized adaptations of the epic had been the television series, Ramayan (1987–88) by Ramanand Sagar, the producers stated that they wanted to adapt Ramayana for theatrical release.
Development
In July 2019, Tiwari and Ravi Udyawar came on board to co-direct the trilogy, while Shridhar Raghavan was hired to write the screenplay. Tiwari and Udyawar said they were motivated to undertake the project out of a sense of responsibility toward introducing the epic to their children, who, according to Tiwari, were familiar with the broad outline of the Ramayana but had not engaged with it in depth. Tiwari further cited the significant advancements in visual effects since the 1987–88 Ramayan television series as another factor behind the project. The producers' planned to commence filming by 2020 and maintain a relatively short gap between the release of each part. The first instalment was scheduled to be released in 2021. The production team commissioned paintings by artists from across India to serve as references for the films' settings, costumes, character designs and action sequences. The project also aimed to cast actors from different regional film industries to appeal to pan-Indian and international audiences.
Pre-production
In November 2019, Tiwari said that Raghavan had been writing the screenplay for the past three years under the guidance of scholars and pandits with expertize in the scriptures and epic, to ensure that the adaptation remained culturally accurate while making it accessible to contemporary audiences. In April 2020, Tiwari stated that they were carefully identifying aspects of the story that should remain unchanged while determining where limited cinematic liberties could be taken without affecting the epic's cultural and religious significance. Tiwari further added that the team sought to make the film appealing to younger audiences while remaining faithful to the expectations of audiences familiar with traditional retellings. He also described the project as technologically demanding because of its extensive visual effects requirements, citing the epic's fantastical settings and creatures as presenting opportunities for large-scale world-building. During the COVID-19 pandemic in India, the development of screenplay continued through virtual meetings involving members of the creative team across the country.
In June 2021, Mantena said that the trilogy was being developed as a long-term project, revealing that more than 200 artists from around the world, including several Academy Award winners, had been working on it for two years using a production process inspired by Avatar. The following month, he described the trilogy as a linear adaptation of Valmiki's Ramayana that would incorporate many of the epic's subsidiary narratives while extensive digital assets were being created during pre-production. In September 2021, Mantena said that the filmmakers were primarily drawing from Valmiki's Ramayana while also studying artistic interpretations by painters such as Raja Ravi Varma, emphasizing that the project was intended to be a traditional adaptation rather than a reinterpretation of the epic. In December 2022, Mantena said that the screenplay was expected to be completed within a few months, with principal photography planned to begin in September 2023. In June 2023, he dismissed reports that the project had been indefinitely postponed, stating that filming was expected to begin later that year. In March 2024, it was reported that DNEG virtual production had come on board as the producer alongside Mantena. In the same month, it was reported that Mantena had stepped back from his role as a producer citing financial concerns. He later got involved in a legal tussle with Malhotra's Prime Focus Technologies regarding the IP rights of the film, which was ultimately settled when he was provided compensation of ₹80 cr (US$9 million). Later, in April 2024, it was confirmed that Yash through his company Monster Mind Creations was co-producing the film alongside Malhotra.
Casting
In July 2021, Mantena said that the ensemble cast would be announced by Diwali later that year. He stated that the film would feature what he described as "the biggest cast ever in the history of Indian cinema" and that actors would be drawn from across the country, saying the casting reflected the filmmakers' intention to present the epic as a pan-Indian project. Mukesh Chhabra was announced as the casting director for the film. In August 2023, Ranbir Kapoor and Yash joined the film for the roles of Rama and Ravana respectively. Later, Kapoor was confirmed to play dual role of Rama as well as Parashurama. In the same month Sai Pallavi joined the cast for the role of Sita. In October 2023, Sunny Deol also joined the cast for the role of Hanuman. He reportedly charged ₹45 crore for his role. In early 2024, Vijay Sethupathi was rumoured to play the role of Vibhishana in the film, however later he declined these rumours. Similarly, Bobby Deol was also reportedly rumoured to play the role of Kumbhakarna which also turned false. In February 2024, Rakul Preet Singh reportedly joined the cast for the role of Shurpanakha. In March 2024, Ravi Dubey also reportedly joined the film for the role of Lakshmana. In April 2024, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta and Sheeba Chaddha were also confirmed to be part of the film after images leaked from the sets confirmed their presence. In July 2024, Kunal Kapoor was confirmed to play an important role in the film. In September 2024, Indira Krishnan also the joined the cast. In May 2025, Kajal Aggarwal joined the cast for the role of Mandodari. Vivek Oberoi joined the cast in June 2025 while Adinath Kothare and Shobana joined the cast in July 2025. Amitabh Bachchan was rumoured to voice the character of Jatayu, however later Anupam Kher was confirmed for the same. In March 2026, Faisal Malik was confirmed to play the role of Kumbhakarna. Harish Uthaman reportedly joined the cast for the role of Vibhishana.
Filming
Part 1
In January 2024, reports indicated that Kapoor and Pallavi were expected to begin filming in March, with dialogue-heavy scenes scheduled first, followed by large-scale crowd and battle sequences. In March, filming was reportedly postponed to April to allow additional time for the completion of costumes and production design. Principal photography for the first part began on 2 April, in Film City, Mumbai, under the working title God Power. The opening schedule featured gurukula sequences involving the child actors portraying the four princes of Ayodhya and Shishir Sharma as Vasishtha, with a specially constructed Ayodhya set serving as the primary filming location. On 5 April, pictures from the sets, featuring pictures of actors Arun Govil, Lara Dutta and Sheeba Chaddha and director Tiwari, were leaked onto social media and went viral. Due to this, the makers imposed a strict no-phone policy on the movie sets. On 27 April, pictures of Kapoor and Pallavi were again leaked from the sets. On 30 April, the second schedule commenced in Mumbai. Yash was a part of the schedule, with Pallavi, Kapoor and Deol reportedly joining later.
In August, Terry Notary confirmed that he was working as the action director. In May 2025, Guy Norris, known for his work on Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Suicide Squad, was announced as the film's stunt director for its large-scale action sequences and was closely working with Yash to accomplish the same. The principal photography for the first part wrapped by 1 July.
Part 2
Principal photography for second part began in March 2026 in Mumbai.
Post-production
The film will reportedly be in post-production for 600 days. Visual effects were handled by DNEG who also co-produced the film.
Music
The film score and soundtrack are composed by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, marking Zimmer's debut work in Indian cinema. Rahman had described the creative process as "terrifying" and "complicated" due to the epic's cultural significance, noting that the duo is working to blend Zimmer's soundscapes with traditional Indian elements. The score features the integration of Sanskrit verses, which Rahman added to the initial thematic soundscapes developed by Zimmer. Additionally, poet and lyricist Kumar Vishwas contributed lyrics inspired by the film's narrative. Karthik Netha adapted the lyrics in Tamil, Rakendu Mouli in Telugu, Vinayak Sasikumar in Malayalam and Karthik Saragur in Kannada.
In July 2026, T-Series acquired music rights to both parts of the film in a deal worth around ₹75 crore. The first single titled "Jai Jai Ram" was released on 14 September 2026, coinciding with Ganesh Chaturthi. The second single titled "Ravana Tandav" was released on 20 October 2026, coinciding with Dussehra. The full album was released at the event held on 21 October 2026 in Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam.
Marketing
On 6 November 2024, Malhotra officially announced Ramayana: Part 1 and Part 2 through a poster, along with the release windows for both films. Malhotra had repeatedly marketed the project as a global film, presenting an Indian subject but for the world. The first glimpse titled "Ramayana: The Introduction" was released online on 3 July 2025 and screened in 9 Indian cities for fans. In Mumbai, Malhotra and Tiwari paid a special surprise visit to the audience and interacted with them as well. On 26 March 2026, coinciding with Ram Navami, the makers announced the next phase of the film's promotional campaign, with the first glimpse of Kapoor as Rama was released on 2 April 2026, coinciding with Hanuman Jayanti. Ahead of its public release, the makers held private preview screenings of the glimpse in the United States to promote the film internationally. The first screening took place at an IMAX theater in Burbank, California, on 30 March 2026, attended by Kapoor, Tiwari and Malhotra. A second screening, followed by a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers, was held in New York City on 31 March 2026. During this event, Tiwari discussed the casting of Kapoor, citing the character's restrained nature, compassion, and physicality as key considerations. At the CinemaCon 2026 event in Los Angeles, Malhotra said that the film would combine elements of fantasy and human drama from films like The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator.
On 18 July 2026, an event, titled "Pratham Sankalp" was held in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi where the film's official trailer was exclusively showcased. Following the event, a short clip from the trailer was leaked on various social media platforms. The trailer was also showcased in the San Diego Comic Con on 23 July. The next day on 24 July, the trailer was set to be released worldwide on all digital platforms however it was delayed. Later, the official trailer was released digitally on 30 July 2026. On 5 August 2026, an English version of the trailer with lip-synced performances using Brahma AI was released with some minor tweaks to selected shots. In the same month, an exclusive 15 minutes of footage from the film was shown at the Big Cine Expo 2026 in Chennai. On 26 September 2026, a pre-release event took place in Mumbai which was attended by YouTuber MrBeast as part of a strategic global marketing campaign. On 28 September 2026, the makers released a behind-the-scenes video of Kapoor's transformation as Rama, thus coinciding with his 44th birthday. An international trailer was released on 15 October 2026 at a special event in Bengaluru. The event was attended by the film's main cast and crew alongside Malhotra. On 19 October 2026, a pre-release event was held in JRC Convention Center in Hyderabad. At the event Malhotra revealed his plans of converting the duology into a franchise and further into a larger cinematic universe. On 20 October, another pre-release event was held in Kolkata where the film was declared tax-free by CM Suvendu Adhikari.
Release
Theatrical
Ramayana: Part 1 was premiered at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on 27 October 2026. It is scheduled for theatrical release on 5 November 2026. It was initially planned to release in India two days later on 8 November, coinciding with Diwali; however, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced the 6 November worldwide release date in early September. Later, the release date was preponed by a day. It will serve as the first installment of a planned two-part epic. It will be released in multiple languages with IMAX presentations as part of a large-scale global rollout. The film will reportedly release across 59,000 screens worldwide, including 50,000 screens in overseas markets and 9,000 screens in India. In China, the film will reportedly release in November under the title Ramayana: The Legend of the Prince. It will become the first Indian film to be released in ScreenX format. In the overseas regions, the film will release under the title Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.
Distribution
In July 2026, Dharma Productions acquired the film's North Indian theatrical distribution rights for around ₹250 crore (US$26 million). Later, Sony Pictures Releasing acquired the overseas theatrical distribution rights. Sri Venkateswara Creations acquired the theatrical distribution rights for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, while AVA Productions and E4 Entertainment acquired the theatrical distribution rights for Kerala. Think Studios acquired the theatrical distribution rights for Tamil Nadu, while Yash's company, Monster Mind Creations, acquired the theatrical distribution rights for Karnataka.
Home media
Following its theatrical run, the film will begin streaming on JioHotstar through pay-per-view model.
Reception
Critical response
Brandon Zachary of Screen Rant gave the film a review score of 5 out of 10. Being highly appreciative of the visual spectacle and technical work, he noted, "On a purely visual and technical level, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is an impressive cinematic achievement." He also had praise for the score by Zimmer and Rahman, cinematography by Mahesh Limaye and Pankaj Kumar and acting performances of Kapoor, Pallavi, Yash and Dubey. However, he critiqued the visual-first approach, writing, "While it may look fantastic, there are some drawbacks to this visual-first approach. The screenplay by Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan dutifully synthesizes the original epic poem, even finding flashes of personality that fit naturally into the movie. However, there's a certain uncomplicated element to the likes of Rama (Ranbir Kapoor) and Sita (Sai Pallavi) that can leave them feeling one-note." Critical of the lack of depth in the characters, he juxtaposed, "[...] what gives similar epics, like Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, an edge is that character depth that really draws the audience in."
Christian Zilko of IndieWire graded the film as B on a grade scale of A+ to F, writing in the epigraph of the review, "Nitesh Tiwari's Bollywood blockbuster will never bore you, even if you occasionally find yourself yearning for some quiet character development."
Siddhant Adlakha of IGN gave the film a review score of 4 out of 10 and concluded, "A lavish Hindu epic gets the Bollywood blockbuster treatment in Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, a clunky, A.I. lip-synced English version that cuts out most of the musical sequences, en route to a dull cliffhanger set before the story really starts. While it comes close to engendering sympathy for the villainous demon Ravana, the film sticks too closely to traditional notions of light and darkness to stray from the poem’s prescribed path. Its depiction of the mythical Rama is simply too boring to root for."
External links
Ramayana: Part 1 at IMDb
Ramayana: Part 1 at Bollywood Hungama
Ramayana: Part 1 at Rotten Tomatoes
