Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 opened in cinemas worldwide on 5 November 2026, and early audience reaction has centred on one word: scale. Opening-day viewers are treating the film as a theatrical event, with the loudest praise going to its visual effects, the Jatayu battle, the performances and the score.
A spectacle, not just a story
The visual detail is part of the pitch. Early viewers highlighted the VFX work led by DNEG, a studio with eight Academy Awards, and one said the finish “has never been made like this in India”. Another described the film as “majestic” and credited the production team led by Namit Malhotra for the craft.
That reaction matters because it frames the film as a repeat-viewing event. Some viewers are already recommending two or three viewings, a signal that the opening-day audience is treating Ramayana: Part 1 as cinema of scale rather than routine release.
Early reaction in short
- Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram is being praised for calm and facial innocence.
- Yash, making his Hindi cinema debut as Ravana, is being compared with his KGF presence for menace.
- Sai Pallavi and Ravie Dubey complete the central ensemble as Sita and Lakshman.
- A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer are scoring together for the first time; it marks Zimmer’s Indian cinema debut.
Why the casting choices matter
Kapoor’s casting as Lord Ram was a talking point before release, and early viewers are now centring the discussion on his expression and screen presence. One said no other actor in Bollywood or the South industry has that facial innocence for Lord Ram, and that watching him brings a sense of calm. Yash’s Ravana is being discussed as an antagonist of size and intensity.
The film also features Arun Govil as Dashrath. For audiences who grew up with Ramanand Sagar’s television Ramayana, that casting links an earlier screen era to this two-part retelling; one viewer described seeing him in the role as “so emotional and overwhelming.”
The international dimension
The score is a milestone: it is the first collaboration between Indian composer A.R. Rahman and Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer, with Zimmer making his Indian cinema debut. Alongside DNEG’s visual effects, the pairing gives a familiar epic an international production spine.
What to watch next
A filmmaker who attended an early screening called the film “brilliant”, noted its 3-hour runtime and described it as “India’s most expensive movie.” No box office figures were available on opening day. The next markers are the worldwide run and the sequel, Ramayana: Part 2, scheduled for Diwali 2027.
Source: The News Mill
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