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The clock above counts down to Ramayana: Part 1, the Diwali 2026 release of Nitesh Tiwari's epic mythological adaptation produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus, with Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana.
Ramayana: Part 1 is the first half of an unprecedented two-film mythological epic, with a reported combined budget around five hundred million US dollars — making it India's most expensive production ever. Director Nitesh Tiwari, who previously made Dangal and Chhichhore, helms the project for Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus and DNEG-led visual-effects machine. The film adapts the Balakanda and early Ayodhyakanda chapters of Valmiki's Ramayana, charting Rama's birth, education, marriage to Sita, and the start of his fourteen-year exile.
The Diwali 2026 release window aligns the film with one of the holiest weeks in the Hindu calendar, a strategic move that mirrors how the Avengers franchise plans to opening weekends. International distribution is being structured to maximize the film's global Indian-diaspora reach, with simultaneous releases planned in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.
The first part is expected to cover the life of Rama through the start of his exile, ending on a cliffhanger that sets up the kidnapping of Sita and the subsequent war at Lanka in Part 2. Visual-effects scale is expected to rival Hollywood's largest productions, with Hans Zimmer co-composing alongside A. R. Rahman. The marketing campaign is being run as a global event film rather than a regional Bollywood release.
Ramayana: Part 1 opens during the Diwali window — the festival falls on November 8, 2026, with major Indian releases typically opening one to two days earlier. The film will release in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada across India, with simultaneous global theatrical bookings in North America, the UK, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
For more 2026 Indian theatrical events, see the King countdown for Shah Rukh Khan's Christmas Eve release and the Ramayana Part 2 countdown for the next chapter.
When does Ramayana: Part 1 release? Around Diwali 2026 (October 28 to November 8 window). Who directs Ramayana? Nitesh Tiwari directs both parts. Who plays Rama? Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana. What's the budget? Around five hundred million US dollars combined for both parts — the most ever spent on an Indian film production.
