Ramayana: Part 1 Releases on November 5: Cast, Music, Advance Booking on Dussehra, and Everything We Know
Nitesh Tiwari's two-part epic, with Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, arrives just before Diwali in five languages, with music by A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
One of the most awaited Indian films in years now has a firm date. Ramayana: Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, will release worldwide on Thursday, November 5, 2026, three days before Diwali. Advance booking opens on Dussehra, which falls on October 20 this year, the makers announced on October 12, according to ETV Bharat.
Here is everything we know about the cast, the music, the release and the second part.
Quick answer
- Release: November 5, 2026, worldwide, in premium formats including IMAX.
- Advance booking: opens on Dussehra (October 20).
- Languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
- Main cast: Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman.
- Music: A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
- Part 2: planned for Diwali 2027.
A date that moved by a day
Earlier reports, including an international trailer from Sony Pictures, had pointed to November 6. The makers' latest announcement brings the worldwide release forward to November 5. If you saw the older date, it has been revised.
The cast
The film brings together stars from across Indian cinema:
- Ranbir Kapoor plays Ram.
- Sai Pallavi, known for her Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, plays Sita.
- Yash, the star of the KGF films, plays Ravana, and is also a co-producer through his company Monster Mind Creations.
- Sunny Deol plays Hanuman.
- Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman.
Outlook also lists Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh and Vivek Oberoi in the cast. Arun Govil's presence has special meaning for many viewers: he played Ram in Ramanand Sagar's television Ramayan in 1987, a show that brought entire families to their TV sets every Sunday.
The team behind it
- Director: Nitesh Tiwari, best known for Dangal.
- Producer: Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios, with the visual-effects company DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.
- Music: A.R. Rahman, India's Oscar-winning composer, together with Hans Zimmer, the composer of films such as The Lion King, Interstellar and Dune.
- Distribution: Sony Pictures will release the film internationally, and Dharma Productions in the Hindi-speaking market.
The official trailer came out in five Indian languages on July 30, 2026, with an English version on August 5.
Who is Nitesh Tiwari?
Nitesh Tiwari is known for warm, crowd-pleasing films with strong emotions. He co-directed Chillar Party (2011), then made Dangal (2016), the wrestling drama with Aamir Khan that became one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever, followed by Chhichhore (2019) and Bawaal (2023). Ramayana is by far his biggest project, and a big change in scale: a mythological epic built on extensive visual effects.
Earlier screen versions
The epic has been adapted many times. Ramanand Sagar's TV series Ramayan (1987-88) remains the most famous, and was re-broadcast during the 2020 lockdown to huge audiences. Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, an Indo-Japanese animated film from 1992, is another version many viewers remember. Each generation has its own retelling, and this one is aimed at a global, big-screen audience.
Why two parts?
The Ramayana is one of the longest stories in world literature, with many events, characters and journeys. The makers decided to tell it in two films. Ranbir Kapoor has said that telling the story properly probably needs a longer film, but that fitting it into two parts was very hard. Part 2 is planned for Diwali 2027.
Why this release matters
- Scale: it is one of the most ambitious Indian productions, with an international effects studio and a global release plan.
- Timing: a Diwali release in five languages gives it a wide audience during the biggest holiday season of the year.
- Competition: it opens about seven weeks before Shah Rukh Khan's King (December 24). Read our guide to King, coming on December 24.
Before you book
- Book early if you want IMAX or premium formats; these screens are limited.
- Check the language of the show you are booking. With five versions, it is easy to pick the wrong one.
- Use official apps or the cinema's own website. Fake ticket sellers appear before every big release; see our guide to festive scams.
- Watch out for spoilers on social media in the first weekend.
The story's place in Indian life
The Ramayana is told and retold across India and South-East Asia in every form: in temples, in Ramlila performances during Navratri and Dussehra, in comics, in classical dance and on television. A new big-screen version will invite comparisons with all of these. For many families, watching it together over the Diwali holidays may become a new tradition.
For more on this season's films, read our October film guide and our report on Drishyam 3's box office run.
Related reading
Sources
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Source: <a href="https://www.thedailymagazine.in/entertainment/ramayana-part-1-release-date-cast-advance-booking">Ramayana: Part 1 Releases on November 5: Cast, Music, Advance Booking on Dussehra, and Everything We Know</a>, The Daily, 14 Oct 2026.Written by
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