Ramayana Advance Bookings Open October 20 as November 5 Global Release Nears

India Ticket Sales Set to Follow an Early Overseas Start

Advance bookings for Ramayana: Part 1 are scheduled to open in India on October 20, 2026, ahead of a worldwide theatrical release on November 5. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, with Nitesh Tiwari directing and Namit Malhotra backing the production.

The Indian booking date, timed to Dussehra, follows an earlier start in the United States, where tickets became available through Fandango on October 15. An overseas sales snapshot put advance receipts across North America, the United Kingdom and Australia at approximately $771,000, covering more than 41,000 tickets.

The producers announced the worldwide release plan on Instagram on October 11, the first day of Navratri. Their update brings India and international markets onto the same opening date after earlier publicity pointed to different schedules.

For audiences, the immediate dates are October 20 for Indian advance bookings and November 5 for the general theatrical release. North American preview screenings are scheduled for November 4, while an exclusive global premiere is planned for October 27 in Los Angeles.

One Worldwide Opening Replaces Different Release Plans

The November 5 announcement resolves a practical question for a film being promoted across several countries: when the main public release begins. An international trailer distributed by Sony Pictures had listed November 6, while Malhotra had described the Indian target as Diwali. Earlier scheduling information also placed the Indian release on November 8.

The producers subsequently confirmed November 5, 2026, for cinemas worldwide, including premium formats. Paid previews remain a separate event, allowing some ticket holders to watch before the general opening.

Malhotra's production team introduced the new schedule with a message connecting the film's campaign to Navratri:

On the auspicious occasion of Navratri, we celebrate the beginning of a new era. Yeh Ram ke Yug ka Aarambh hai. Namit Malhotra's Ramayana Part 1: In cinemas WORLDWIDE, across all premium formats, from 5th November. Advance bookings open on Dussehra.

The Hindi phrase means that this is the beginning of Ram's era. The accompanying ensemble poster features Kapoor, Pallavi, Ravi Dubey and Yash, bringing the actors playing Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Ravana into the same promotional image.

The Dates Leading Up to Release

Ramayana's rollout combines an announcement, ticket sales, an invitation premiere and public screenings. Each serves a different purpose: advance bookings reserve seats, a premiere is a special presentation, and the theatrical opening begins the regular cinema run.

• October 11, 2026: The producers announce the November 5 worldwide release and bookings opening on Dussehra.
• October 15: US advance tickets become available on Fandango, including IMAX and 3D screenings.
• October 20: Advance bookings are scheduled to open in India.
• October 27: An exclusive global premiere is planned at the David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
• November 4: Preview screenings are scheduled in North America.
• November 5: Ramayana: Part 1 opens in cinemas worldwide.
• Diwali 2027: The second instalment is targeted for theatrical release.

The November 4 previews help explain why overseas ticket figures already include screenings before November 5. The Los Angeles premiere is another distinct event, held more than a week before the general opening.

What the Overseas Booking Figures Show

North America accounts for $558,000 of the approximately $771,000 advance total recorded across three international markets. The United Kingdom contributes around $141,000 and Australia about $72,000. Using those figures, North America represents roughly 72% of the tracked total.

More than 41,000 tickets had been sold across those territories in that snapshot. The figures describe seats reserved before release, giving an early measure of demand while cinemas are still selling tickets and arranging screenings.

Preview demand forms a substantial part of the North American business. One sales update put November 4 preview receipts above $250,000 across the United States and Canada, including more than $210,000 from approximately 10,800 US tickets.

A further US premiere sales update recorded $317,900 from around 16,012 tickets, after more than $150,000 during the first 24 hours of bookings. These are running sales snapshots covering particular markets and screenings, so the US premiere figure sits within the broader overseas business rather than being an extra amount to add to it.

Premium Tickets and Opening Day Demand

US premiere receipts of $317,900 across approximately 16,012 tickets work out to about $19.85 per ticket. Another preview snapshot placed the average near $19.50. Both figures sit close to $20, with IMAX and 3D screenings among the formats being sold.

IMAX generally offers a larger screen and a presentation designed for a more immersive cinema experience. A 3D screening uses special glasses to create a sense of depth. Both can carry higher ticket prices than a standard screening, so the mix of formats matters when comparing receipts with the number of tickets sold.

For November 5 itself, an advance sales snapshot recorded approximately $162,000 across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The UK contributed $64,000, close to the US figure of $71,000. That makes the British share of this particular opening day total stronger than its share of the broader overseas tally.

Fandango promotions have also included discounts of $7. Final prices depend on the cinema, screening and any applicable offer. The immediate commercial test will broaden when Indian bookings open and domestic audiences begin choosing shows alongside viewers overseas.

How the Film Will Reach Different Markets

Sony Pictures will distribute Ramayana outside India, while Dharma Productions will handle the Hindi speaking market. Dharma has also shared glimpses from the film alongside the booking announcement.

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, distribution will be handled by Dil Raju's Sri Venkateswara Creations, known as SVC. AVA will manage the Kerala release. These arrangements divide responsibility for getting the film into cinemas across territories with different languages and audiences.

The announced Indian language plan covers Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Part 1 will be shown in IMAX and other premium formats, with US ticket listings also including 3D.

A wider international plan has been described as covering more than 40 languages, potentially 40 to 45, including English, Japanese and Mandarin. The complete language list and availability by country have not been detailed. Viewers will need their local cinema listing to identify the language and format of an individual screening.

The international campaign uses the title Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. That branding connects the overseas promotion with the first instalment being marketed in India as Ramayana: Part 1.

The Cast Expands With Anupam Kher as Jatayu

Kapoor, Pallavi and Yash lead an ensemble that includes Ravi Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Arun Govil plays King Dasharatha, Lara Dutta plays Kaikeyi, and Rakul Preet Singh plays Shurpanakha.

Anupam Kher lends his voice to Jatayu, a bird whose attempt to rescue Sita from Ravana is an important episode in the epic. Jatayu confronts Ravana despite being outmatched and sacrifices himself while trying to protect her.

The production team announced Kher's involvement with a character poster and a message presenting Jatayu through courage and duty:

When evil took flight, courage rose to meet it. He fought not for victory, but for what was right. Jatayu. The Wings of Dharma. Anupam Kher as Jatayu in Ramayana.

Kajal Aggarwal, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare and Indira Krishnan are also among the cast. Recent promotional footage has shown battle sequences involving Ravana and Indra, as well as Ram confronting demonic forces, adding action scenes to a campaign built around character reveals and the ensemble poster.

A Large Production Faces Competition for Screens

Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios is producing the project with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations. A. R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer are composing the music, bringing two prominent film composers into the same production.

The franchise budget has been reported at ₹4,000 crore, equivalent to ₹40 billion. That figure refers to the franchise, which is planned across two films. Part 2 is targeted for Diwali 2027, extending the release plan into the following year.

Ramayana's November opening also brings competition for cinema space. In Tamil Nadu, the film is expected to compete with Suriya's Scene and Nayanthara's Mookuthi Amman 2. Internationally, Godzilla Minus Zero is another title competing for audience attention and premium screens.

Screen allocation matters because a cinema has only so many auditoriums and showtimes. A premium screen occupied by one film cannot show another at the same time. Ramayana's eventual opening will therefore depend on the combination of bookings, available screenings, ticket prices and the response of audiences once public shows begin.

Key Points

• Indian advance bookings are scheduled to open on October 20, 2026, coinciding with Dussehra.
• Ramayana: Part 1 will release worldwide on November 5, with North American previews scheduled for November 4.
• US ticket sales began on Fandango on October 15, including IMAX and 3D screenings.
• An overseas snapshot recorded approximately $771,000 in advance sales across North America, the UK and Australia.
• Ranbir Kapoor plays Ram, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana and Anupam Kher voices Jatayu.
• Sony Pictures handles distribution outside India; Dharma Productions handles the Hindi speaking market.
• The announced Indian languages are Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
• Part 2 is targeted for Diwali 2027.