Representative image. Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Why it matters
Ramayana opens on 5 November with lakhs of tickets already sold, so the first reviews are what many buyers will read before they go. The two read for this article agree on the spectacle and differ on how much the characters land. Viewers booking a show should also plan for a running time of 3 hours and 15 minutes for the Hindi version.
The first Ramayana reviews came out on 30 October 2026 for Nitesh Tiwari’s film of the epic, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, six days before it opens in Indian cinemas on Thursday, 5 November. The verdict in the two American reviews read for this article: a huge, good-looking spectacle whose characters do not always get room to breathe.
The same day, the Hindi version was certified U by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with a running time of 195 minutes, according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh’s post as reported by News18. A U certificate means the film can be shown to audiences of all ages.
What the first Ramayana reviews say about the film
IndieWire’s Christian Zilko wrote the more enthusiastic of the two Ramayana reviews read for this article. He called it a film that will never bore viewers and said its scale is the point: a three-hour movie that covers half of the epic, packed with battles, songs, gods and spectacle. He singled out the score by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, and noted that it is Zimmer’s first Indian film.
His complaint was about pace rather than size. When every scene plays like a climax, he wrote, the audience never gets the quieter moments that would make each turning point matter. He also felt the film reaches for the whole text at the cost of a voice of its own.
ScreenRant’s Brandon Zachary gave the film 7 out of 10. He praised the visual effects, the fight scenes, the cinematography and the music, and said the cast was good across the board, with Yash’s Ravana given an interesting focus in the first act. His main criticism was that Rama and Sita come across as one-note, so a key late scene does not land emotionally, and that the Baahubali films handled character better at a similar scale. He still recommended seeing it on the biggest screen possible.
| Outlet | Rating | Liked | Did not like |
|---|---|---|---|
| IndieWire | No score in text read | Scale, never boring, Zimmer and Rahman score | Too many climaxes, little quiet character time |
| ScreenRant | 7/10 | Effects, action, cinematography, cast, Yash’s Ravana | Rama and Sita one-note; late scene lacks weight |
| Early reactions after LA premiere | None | Visuals, music, action, performances | Some said scale overshadows emotional depth |
The premiere reactions point the same way as the Ramayana reviews. The Indian Express reported that after the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles on 27 October, viewers praised the visuals, music and action, while a few said the grand scale at times overshadowed the story’s emotional depth.
Ramayana runtime: 195 minutes, or 154?
The Ramayana runtime is one number to watch. The CBFC certificate for the Hindi version gives 195 minutes, or three hours and 15 minutes, according to Taran Adarsh’s post. ScreenRant’s review page lists the film at 154 minutes. IndieWire describes it as a three-hour movie.
The reports read for this article do not explain the 41-minute gap (NewsPlainly’s calculation, 195 minus 154). The 195-minute figure is the certificate for the Hindi version in India; the reports read do not say whether the version shown abroad is different.
Ramayana advance booking: ₹17 crore before release
Ramayana advance booking in India started well ahead of the release. As of 8 am on 30 October, the film had sold 3.33 lakh tickets across 6,780 shows, for an advance gross of ₹17.08 crore, the Indian Express reported, citing trade tracker Sacnilk. Leaving out blocked seats, the figure was ₹14.23 crore from 2.74 lakh tickets.
That works out to about ₹513 per ticket on average, NewsPlainly’s calculation from ₹17.08 crore and 3.33 lakh tickets. The Hindi version brought in ₹14.17 crore, about 83% of the total, followed by Kannada at ₹2.36 crore. Telugu and Tamil were far smaller at ₹49.69 lakh and ₹5.49 lakh.
| City | Advance gross | Tickets sold |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) | ₹3.05 crore | 41,115 |
| Bengaluru | ₹2.85 crore | 49,579 |
| Mumbai | ₹2.29 crore | 32,953 |
| Hyderabad | ₹89.35 lakh | 25,593 |
| Kolkata | ₹67.85 lakh | 12,446 |
In crore terms, Hyderabad’s ₹89.35 lakh is about ₹0.89 crore and Kolkata’s ₹67.85 lakh about ₹0.68 crore. Bengaluru sold the most tickets of the five cities and grew fastest, 16% in a day, while Delhi-NCR earned the most money. These are advance sales, not box office collections; the first collection figures will come only after the film opens.
Ramayana release date, cast and Part 2
The Ramayana release date in India is Thursday, 5 November 2026, a date the Indian Express said coincides with Diwali. This is Part 1 of a two-part film. Besides the three leads, Ravi Dubey plays Lakshmana and Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, the Indian Express reported. It is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus with the visual effects company DNEG and Yash’s company Monster Mind Creations. IndieWire and ScreenRant reviewed it under the title Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, and Sony Pictures is releasing it in US cinemas on 5 November, IndieWire said.
Ramayana: Part 2 was first planned for Diwali 2027 and has now moved to Diwali 2028, according to the Indian Express. Ranbir Kapoor was in the news earlier this month for a slip in a Kolkata Dussehra speech, which NewsPlainly reported.
Frequently asked questions
What are the first Ramayana reviews saying?
IndieWire praised the scale and score but said the film rarely slows down for its characters. ScreenRant gave it 7 out of 10, praising the effects and action and calling Rama and Sita one-note.
What is the runtime of Ramayana?
The Hindi version was certified at 195 minutes, or 3 hours 15 minutes, according to Taran Adarsh's post reported by News18. ScreenRant's review lists 154 minutes.
When does Ramayana release in India?
Thursday, 5 November 2026. It has a U certificate, so viewers of all ages can watch it.
How much has Ramayana made in advance booking?
₹17.08 crore gross from 3.33 lakh tickets as of 8 am on 30 October, according to Sacnilk data reported by the Indian Express.