Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 2: Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ramayana: Part 1 is closing in on the Rs 50-crore mark in India advance bookings, with just three days remaining before its theatrical release on November 5. The mythological epic, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, has already recorded advance ticket sales worth Rs 45.96 crore across all dates currently on sale, including blocked seats, according to trade tracker Sacnilk.
Excluding blocked seats, the film's advance gross stands at Rs 36.85 crore, indicating strong interest among moviegoers ahead of its release.
As of 6 am on November 2, the film had sold 11.01 lakh tickets across 35,697 shows at 1,708 cinemas in 527 cities. Its advance booking occupancy, including blocked seats, stood at 14 per cent. A total of 75 shows were reported as housefull, including 13 that were completely sold out.
The opening day is contributing the largest share of the advance sales. For Thursday, November 5, the film has recorded bookings worth Rs 25.39 crore, including blocked seats, while the figure stands at Rs 21.30 crore without them. This accounts for more than half of its overall domestic advance gross.
The National Capital Region (NCR) has emerged as the biggest city market, contributing Rs 6.78 crore in advance bookings, including blocked seats. Mumbai follows with Rs 6.08 crore, while Bengaluru has recorded Rs 5.79 crore. Hyderabad has contributed Rs 2.81 crore, Pune Rs 2.17 crore and Kolkata Rs 1.68 crore.
At the state level, Maharashtra leads with Rs 9.42 crore, followed by Karnataka at Rs 7.15 crore and Delhi at Rs 6.78 crore. Gujarat has recorded Rs 3.61 crore, while Telangana has contributed Rs 2.93 crore. The top 10 states together account for around 85 per cent of the film's total India advance gross.
The Hindi version continues to dominate domestic pre-sales, contributing Rs 38.70 crore, or approximately 84 per cent of the overall advance gross across all dates on sale. Kannada bookings have reached Rs 4.41 crore, while the Telugu version has recorded Rs 2.35 crore. Tamil advance sales stand at Rs 41.66 lakh, and Malayalam bookings at Rs 8.01 lakh.
Premium formats have also contributed significantly to the film's advance collections. Hindi 3D screenings have generated Rs 21.57 crore, including blocked seats, while Hindi 2D has recorded Rs 8.75 crore. Hindi IMAX 3D bookings stand at Rs 6.34 crore.
Formats such as IMAX, 4DX, Dolby Cinema, ICE and EPIQ have collectively generated Rs 8.83 crore despite accounting for only around two per cent of the available shows. Hindi 3D alone contributes approximately 47 per cent of the film's overall advance gross across all dates on sale.
The film has also registered encouraging overseas pre-sales. A report dated October 31 put international advance bookings at approximately $3.5 million, equivalent to around Rs 33.23 crore, across all available dates. North America alone contributed more than $1 million in premiere pre-sales.
However, the film has received mixed reactions from international viewers following its world premiere at the David Geffen Theatre at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on October 27.
Several early viewers praised its ambitious scale, visual effects and performances, particularly Yash's portrayal of Ravana and Ranbir Kapoor's performance as Lord Rama. Others raised concerns over the storytelling, pacing and music.
The lengthy action sequences, slowdown in the second half and occasional lack of emotional depth also drew criticism. Following the lifting of the review embargo, international publications offered varied assessments. Screen Rant appreciated the film's technical achievements, while IGN criticised its execution and gave it a rating of 4/10. IndieWire awarded it a B grade.
Ramayana: Part 1 features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, while Ravi Dubey portrays Lakshman. The ensemble cast also includes Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Indira Krishnan, Rakul Preet Singh, Kajal Aggarwal, Vivek Oberoi and Shobana in pivotal roles.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations. The screenplay has been written by Shridhar Raghavan and Tiwari, while the music is composed by Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman.
The two-part cinematic adaptation is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026. With advance bookings gaining momentum, the final days before release will be crucial in determining whether the film crosses the Rs 50-crore domestic pre-sales milestone.