The first instalment of Nitesh Tiwari’s planned two-film Ramayana has its American certificate, and the wording tells audiences what kind of adaptation to expect. The Motion Picture Association has rated Ramayana: Rise of a Legend PG-13 for intense action, violence and some graphic images showing blood.
What the rating signals
A PG-13 certificate is the MPA’s way of cautioning parents that some material may not be right for children under 13. In broad intent it is close to India’s U/A certificate, although the two boards apply different procedures and thresholds.
The stated reasons do more than satisfy a compliance requirement. They are the first official external confirmation that the film’s battles and confrontations will be presented with weight, not as a bloodless mythological pageant.
Runtime: 3h15 on IMAX, with a shorter English cut reported
IMAX lists the film at 3 hours and 15 minutes. Trade reports suggest the English-language version could run closer to 2 hours and 45 minutes, but the makers have not confirmed the final duration.
- MPA rating: PG-13 for intense action, violence and some graphic images showing blood.
- IMAX-listed runtime: 3 hours 15 minutes; reported English cut: 2 hours 45 minutes.
- Worldwide release: 5 November 2026; part two is planned for Diwali 2027.
- Distribution: Sony Pictures internationally; Dharma Productions in the Hindi-speaking market.
If the longer cut is locked, it will be Ranbir Kapoor’s second film to cross three hours, after Animal ran for 3 hours and 21 minutes.
The global push begins in Bengaluru
Prime Focus Studios and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations host the international trailer launch in Bengaluru on October 15. The character posters place Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Yash as Ravana, Arun Govil as Dashrath, Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Sheeba Chaddha as Manthara and Anupam Kher as Jatayu.
Producer Namit Malhotra wrote that the team’s dream was always “to take one of India’s greatest stories to the world”, and framed the Sony Pictures international campaign as the next step toward presenting the film as “a global cinematic event”. The note was signed by Malhotra, Tiwari and Yash.
Why it matters beyond the certificate
The production is backed by Prime Focus Studios, DNEG and Monster Mind Creations, and will release in India in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. That five-language domestic footprint is matched by a distributor, Sony Pictures, with the muscle to place the film beyond the diaspora circuit.
For our readers, the October 15 trailer and the eventual runtime confirmation are the details to watch. The rating gives the first real sense of texture; the length will shape how cinemas outside India programme the release.
Source: The Times of India
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