Ramayana release date: India targets Diwali while overseas cinemas open on 6 November
Published
Reports on the new Ramayana trailer give 5, 6 or 8 November. Each date is a different event, and the producer has explained why India and the rest of the world differ.
Original report
Information as of 15 October 2026, 19:30 IST.
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has two release dates, not one: 6 November overseas and Diwali, 8 November, in India, according to producer Namit Malhotra (ARY News, 2026). He said the international date falls on a Friday because film distribution abroad works on Fridays, while the Indian release is aimed at Diwali.
That explains the confusion since the second trailer landed on 15 October 2026. Sony's announcement of 28 September put the worldwide release at 6 November (The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026). The Times of India and The Indian Express both reported 5 November (The Times of India, 2026; The Indian Express, 2026). No statement from the makers that we read settles a single Indian date.
Three November dates, and what each one is
Most reports on the new trailer gave one date. Set side by side, the dates on record each describe a different event:
- 5 November: a special screening for political leaders at Rashtrapati Bhavan is proposed, but permissions are not yet confirmed, The Times of India reported, citing Mid-Day (The Times of India, 2026).
- 6 November: the worldwide release in Sony's 28 September announcement (The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026).
- 8 November, Diwali: the India target, per producer Namit Malhotra (ARY News, 2026).
"It (Ramayana) will release in India on Diwali," Malhotra said (ARY News, 2026). Two premieres are planned, one in Mumbai and one in Delhi (The Times of India, 2026).
The date is not the only thing that changes depending on where the audience sits.
The English and Hindi trailers describe Rama differently
The second trailer runs 2 minutes 36 seconds, India Today reported on 15 October (India Today, 2026). It came out in English and Hindi, and the two cuts disagree on who Rama is.
The English voiceover calls him "Not a God, but a man". The Hindi version names him as Vishnu's reincarnation and adds that Ravana's power came from a boon, The Indian Express reported (The Indian Express, 2026).
The trailer arrives with a big number attached, and so does the film.
The Rs 4,000 crore budget is reported, not confirmed
The Indian Express put the budget at Rs 4,000 crore, using the word "reportedly" (The Indian Express, 2026). The makers have not confirmed that figure in any source we read.
The audience number on record is also a claim. Malhotra has said the trailer crossed 1 billion views in five days, a figure that refers to the first trailer rollout on 30 July 2026 (ARY News, 2026). That trailer was released at 4.15 a.m., timed to Brahma Muhurat (The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026). We found no independent count to check the billion-view claim, and no box-office or audience figures from outside India.
The film is produced by Namit Malhotra, of DNEG and Prime Focus, with Yash as co-producer (India Today, 2026; The Indian Express, 2026).
The cast, as named so far
Director Nitesh Tiwari's cast, as named by India Today, The Indian Express and The Times of India (India Today, 2026; The Indian Express, 2026; The Times of India, 2026):
- Ranbir Kapoor as Rama
- Yash as Ravana
- Sai Pallavi as Sita
- Sunny Deol as Hanuman
- Ravie Dubey as Lakshman
- Arun Govil as Dasharatha
- Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi
- Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha
- Kunal Kapoor as Indra
- Anupam Kher as the voice of Jatayu
The cast covers Part 1. A second film is already scheduled.
Five languages now, Part 2 in 2027
The Times of India reported that the film releases in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam (The Times of India, 2026). Sony's announcement lists Hindi and English versions in IMAX and premium formats (The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026).
Part 1 is the Diwali 2026 film. Part 2 is slated for Diwali 2027, The Times of India reported, while The Hollywood Reporter India gives only "2027" (The Times of India, 2026; The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026).
What happens next
The first date to watch is 5 November, when the Rashtrapati Bhavan screening is proposed, still subject to permissions (The Times of India, 2026). Overseas cinemas open on 6 November under Sony's announcement, and the producer's India target is Diwali, 8 November (The Hollywood Reporter India, 2026; ARY News, 2026).
Questions people are asking
When does Ramayana release in India?
Producer Namit Malhotra says India is targeting Diwali, 8 November, while overseas cinemas open on 6 November (ARY News, 2026). Some outlets report 5 November.
What is the Ramayana budget?
The Indian Express reported it at Rs 4,000 crore, but the makers have not confirmed the figure (The Indian Express, 2026).
Who plays Ravana and Sita in Ramayana?
Yash plays Ravana and Sai Pallavi plays Sita (India Today, 2026).
Is there a Ramayana Part 2?
Yes. The Times of India reported that Part 2 is slated for Diwali 2027 (The Times of India, 2026).
Will Ramayana screen at Rashtrapati Bhavan?
A screening is proposed for 5 November, but permissions are still being sought (The Times of India, 2026).
References
- ARY News (2026) Namit Malhotra clarifies dual release dates for 'Ramayana'. ARY News. Available at: Namit Malhotra clarifies dual release dates for 'Ramayana' (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
- India Today (2026) Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir's Lord Rama vows to vanquish Ravana in epic clash. India Today. Available at: Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir's Lord Rama vows to vanquish Ravana in epic clash (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
- The Hollywood Reporter India (2026) Ramayana: Part 1 Officially Titled Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. The Hollywood Reporter India. Available at: Ramayana: Part 1 Officially Titled Ramayana: Rise of a Legend (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
- The Indian Express (2026) Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir's Rama is 'not God, but man' in English, Vishnu's avatar in Hindi. The Indian Express. Available at: Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir's Rama is 'not God, but man' in English, Vishnu's avatar in Hindi (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
- The Times of India (2026) Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend' set for special screening at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 5: Reports. The Times of India. Available at: Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend' set for special screening at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 5 (Accessed: 15 October 2026).
How we did this
We compared three reports on the second trailer published on 15 October 2026, by India Today, The Indian Express and The Times of India. Each gave part of the picture, and the release dates they carried did not agree. We added Sony's 28 September announcement as reported by The Hollywood Reporter India and producer Namit Malhotra's explanation of the two dates as reported by ARY News, then set every date on record side by side with what it refers to. We read all five on 15 October 2026. The Rs 4,000 crore budget and the billion-view figure are labelled as unconfirmed because no makers' statement we read confirms them.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 5 outlets across the spectrum: 20% left, 20% center, 60% right.
Who is covering this story
- Left-leaning (1): Indian Express
- Center (1): The Hollywood Reporter India
- Right-leaning (3): ARY News, Times of India, India Today
Sources
- Namit Malhotra clarifies dual release dates for 'Ramayana' — ARY News (right-leaning) ·
- Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir’s Rama is ‘not God, but man’ in English, Vishnu’s avatar in Hindi — Indian Express (left-leaning) ·
- Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend' set for special screening at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 5: Reports — Times of India (right-leaning) ·
- 'Ramayana: Part 1' Officially Titled 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend', Set To Release In IMAX — The Hollywood Reporter India (center) ·
- Ramayana new trailer: Ranbir’s Lord Rama vows to vanquish Ravana in epic clash — India Today (right-leaning) ·