Ramayana is looking at a bold new date. The Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi-led epic may now open in cinemas worldwide on Thursday, November 5, three days before Diwali, according to a report in Bollywood Hungama. If the plan is approved, it would replace the earlier two-date strategy for India and overseas.
The shifting release plan
Ramayana’s release dates have moved in stages. Bollywood Hungama first reported a November 6 cinema release on August 5. Two days later, producer Namit Malhotra said the film would open overseas on November 6 and in India on November 8. Now, the publication says, the makers want a single worldwide date.
- First reported plan: November 6 in cinemas
- Later split: November 6 overseas, November 8 in India
- New expected plan: November 5 worldwide
- Status: Stakeholders are largely on board; an official announcement is pending
Why a pre-Diwali opening is unusual
Since 2014, most major Diwali releases have opened the day after the Festival of Lights, according to an industry insider quoted in the report. The thinking is that audiences are occupied with puja and family rituals on Diwali itself, so opening day can be softer. By placing the film on November 5, the makers are trading that caution for the full festive corridor: a Thursday opening, the days before Diwali, then the big post-Diwali holiday on November 9.
The gap is material. A pre-Diwali Thursday means the film can build word of mouth before the biggest holiday of the stretch. The insider said the extended first-week collections would be the figure to watch, and suggested the opening could gain from the immense hype around the project.
The package behind the move
The cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Nitesh Tiwari, who directed Dangal, is at the helm. Namit Malhotra produces, with music by A R Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Dharma Productions holds India distribution, while Sony Pictures has overseas rights. The first part is planned for Diwali 2026, with the second part slated for Diwali 2027.
For fans, the practical change is simple: if the date locks, the first-day window is Thursday, not the weekend. A single global date also makes the opening feel like one event rather than separate rollouts. Until the official announcement arrives, mark November 5 in pencil, not ink. A source told the publication that “stakeholders are more or less on board”.
Source: Bollywood Hungama
