Advance booking for Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 passed Rs 17.14 crore in India by 11 am on October 30, according to trade website Sacnilk. After removing blocked seats, the figure is Rs 14.29 crore, with about 2.75 lakh tickets sold. The film added Rs 7.25 lakh between 6 am and 11 am.
Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash lead the mythological epic as Ram, Sita and Ravana, with an ensemble that includes Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Arun Govil as Dasharatha; music is by AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
Overseas pre-sales are nearing USD 3 million, roughly Rs 28 crore. North America is the largest contributor at close to USD 1.9 million, or nearly three-fourths of the international total. The UK and Ireland have added about USD 268,000, and Australia and New Zealand about USD 248,000. Paid previews on November 4 have helped North America.
The film has reached this number despite a limited booking rollout over the last few days. Hindi markets are leading domestic sales, while Kannada and Telugu versions are gaining ground; Tamil and Malayalam listings are expected to grow as the rollout continues.
A distribution standoff slowed the rollout
Domestic bookings opened later than planned because distributors and exhibitors could not agree on revenue-sharing terms. Distributors proposed either a three-week structure of 60%, 50% and 40%, or a flat 55% share for the first 11 days before returning to industry slabs.
The makers reportedly felt the project’s scale justified better opening-week terms. The combined budget of both parts is estimated at around Rs 4,000 crore. Exhibitors pointed to operating costs, the risk of giving many screens to one title, and the precedent such terms could set for future big-budget releases.
In effect, the standoff was a negotiation over who bears the risk of a Rs 4,000-crore bet. Distributors sought a larger share of the opening burst; exhibitors wanted protection from ceding screens on expensive terms. That tension now resolves screen by screen.
Bookings are now going live where terms are settled, with more screens expected by 7 pm on October 30.
What the early demand signals
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director of PVR INOX Limited, called the response “very encouraging” and said the six-day festive window is well timed for family audiences. The chain has crossed 2.5 lakh tickets across its circuit.
- India advance sales: Rs 17.14 crore, or Rs 14.29 crore after blocked seats.
- Overseas pre-sales: near USD 3 million, led by North America at close to USD 1.9 million.
- Release date: November 5, with paid previews on November 4 in North America.
The stakes for a two-part epic
Because Ramayana: Part 1 is the first half of an estimated Rs 4,000-crore project, advance sales and opening-week terms are not routine. They determine how much confidence exhibitors, distributors and audiences are placing in a long-gestating franchise. The next six days will show whether the late India rollout can close the gap with overseas momentum.
Source: The Times of India
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