Six days into its global run, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is doing something Hindi cinema has long promised and rarely delivered: opening as a wide international event rather than a diaspora-first release. Trade estimates cited by Sacnilk put the film’s worldwide gross at Rs 823.5 crore by November 11, with overseas territories contributing roughly Rs 297 crore and the domestic gross at Rs 526.5 crore.
Where the money is coming from
The first four days brought an estimated $23.7 million, about Rs 221.6 crore, from overseas markets, led by North America at $12.2 million. The UK followed at $3 million, with the UAE and Australia contributing $2.2 million and $1.9 million. More telling than the familiar markets are the new ones: the film reportedly set opening records for an Indian release in Thailand, the Netherlands and South Africa.
IMAX added another signal. The film earned around $6 million globally in the format over its opening weekend, the largest IMAX opening for an Indian title. North America’s 53 IMAX locations contributed about $2.5 million.
In the UK and Ireland, Ramayana topped the weekend chart with £1.7 million, excluding previews, and £2.2 million including them, finishing ahead of Godzilla Minus Zero. It was, according to The Tribune, the first Indian film to lead that chart.
The machinery behind the moment
The shape of this release was built before the first ticket sold. Prime Focus Studios and Monster Mind Creations backed a two-part project budgeted at around Rs 4,000 crore combined. Sony Pictures Entertainment handled international distribution. A shorter English-language cut, a San Diego Comic-Con presentation, an October 27 preview at the Academy Museum, and a rollout across 130 countries and 10,000 screens in 17 dubbed languages all point to a film positioned for audiences with no prior stake in the Ramayana tradition.
That positioning is the real story. A festive Diwali bump lifted Day 5 domestic net collections to Rs 107.5 crore, but the overseas line matters more for the pan-world claim. Monday’s overseas dip to around Rs 25 crore was a routine weekday correction; Tuesday’s estimate of Rs 37 crore suggests interest is not fading yet.
The benchmark it still has to beat
A strong opening is not the same as a long international run. The film’s next comparisons are formidable:
- Dangal: around $233.8 million overseas gross, powered by mainland China.
- Secret Superstar: around $126.9 million.
- Bajrangi Bhaijaan: around $75.76 million.
- Baahubali 2: The Conclusion: around $60.5 million.
China remains the open question. The film has a China-specific title, Ramayana: The Legend of the Prince, but no confirmed mainland release date or screen count. The Hong Kong opening on November 12 is not a mainland release. The broader rollout continues through November 26 into Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Italy and other territories.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw called it an “engaging, rousing and spectacular Indian epic,” and Screen Rant’s Brandon Zachary gave it a 7/10. Reviews are widening the conversation. The opening has created curiosity; the coming weeks will show whether curiosity becomes a repeatable global run.
Source: India Today
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