Three days before its November 5 release, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part One has put roughly ₹75 crore into worldwide advance bookings. That early demand has pushed the trade conversation from “can it open big?” to “how big can it go?”.
What the pre-sales show
As of November 2, trade site Sacnilk tracked the following:
- Domestic gross: ₹45.35 crore including blocked seats, or ₹36.39 crore excluding them
- Tickets: about 10.85 lakh across 35,294 shows
- Overseas: roughly $3.5 million (about ₹31.3 crore)
- North America: paid previews alone above $1 million
The Hindi version is carrying the largest share of domestic demand. NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are among the stronger markets, according to the latest reports.
Why Karnataka matters
Trade analyst Akshaye Rathi believes the Hindi version could collect ₹50-65 crore on day one, with other language versions adding ₹45-50 crore. “Karnataka alone has the potential to bring in ₹35-40 crore, given Yash’s role in the movie,” he said.
That is the clearest sign that this is being positioned as a pan-India release, not just a Hindi blockbuster. Ranbir Kapoor anchors the Hindi market; Yash gives the film a second, distinct star base in Karnataka. Premium formats add another layer: IMAX and other large-format shows carry higher ticket prices, which lifts the value of the opening-day gross.
The China piece and the global ambition
Sony Pictures is handling overseas distribution, and a China-specific title has emerged: Ramayana: The Legend of the Prince. A confirmed Chinese release date and screen allocation are still awaited, and reports suggest the film may get a deferred release there. If a broad China rollout materialises, Rathi argues the overseas market could contribute “as much as India, if not more.”
His reference point includes a possible 20,000-25,000 screens in China, alongside wide releases in North America, Europe and Australia. Earlier reports point to an overseas screen target above 50,000 and a worldwide footprint that could cross 59,000.
China is not a new market for Hindi cinema—Dangal, 3 Idiots and Bajrangi Bhaijaan found large audiences there—but a confirmed, wide release for a fresh Ramayana title would be a rare international test.
Why this release is different
With a reported ₹4,000 crore in expenditure at play, the film cannot rely on one market or one language. Taran Adarsh has framed the upside in cultural terms: the film “has the potential to shatter opening-day records and create history because of the emotional connection audiences share with Rama, Sita, Hanuman and Lakshman.”
Advance booking is an early signal, not a verdict. The next test is whether demand broadens across the weekend and whether the China release is confirmed in time to matter. The scale has been built; the audience will now decide if it is enough.
Source: India Today
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