When the first part of Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana opens on November 5, it will arrive as a multilingual theatrical event rather than a single-language release. The makers have confirmed that the mythological epic has been dubbed in nearly 40 languages for its worldwide rollout, and that advance bookings will open on Dussehra, October 20.
A trade source told Bollywood Hungama that producer Namit Malhotra and the core team are determined to make it “the biggest release ever for an Indian film.” The international campaign has been building toward this for some time, the source added, with the project promoted at CinemaCon 2026 and San Diego Comic-Con and Sony Pictures brought on board for international distribution.
A release built for access
The language count is the centre of the announcement. According to the source, this is the first time an Indian film has been dubbed on such a massive scale. The full list of languages will be revealed within a week or two. The stated aim is simple: audiences around the world should be able to experience the film in a language they understand, without having to rely on subtitles.
- Release date: November 5, 2026, in Diwali week.
- Advance bookings: Open October 20, Dussehra.
- Dubbing: Nearly 40 languages; full list expected soon.
- International distribution: Sony Pictures.
- Franchise: Part II is scheduled for Diwali 2027.
Why the overseas push matters
The move matters because it targets a different audience. Indian films have historically travelled well with diaspora viewers, but a release with this many dubbed tracks is designed for local, non-diaspora audiences as well. By removing the subtitle barrier, the team is betting that a mythological story can be sold as a global spectacle rather than a niche subtitled import.
The creative package supports that scale: Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana, Sunny Deol plays Hanuman and Ravie Dubey plays Lakshman, with music by A R Rahman and Hans Zimmer. Tiwari, best known for Dangal, is working from a two-part plan; the second instalment is slated for Diwali 2027.
For audiences, the practical step is to calendar October 20 for bookings and watch for the language list. For the industry, Ramayana may become a benchmark: if a near-40-language dub succeeds, Indian studios will be far more likely to treat localisation as a core distribution strategy rather than an afterthought.
Source: Bollywood Hungama
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