- Release Date
- 5 November 2026
- Director
- Nitesh Tiwari
- Music
- Hans Zimmer, A.R. Rahman
- Country
- India
Starring
Image: Sony Pictures
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend will release in Hindi and English on 5 November 2026, just in time for Diwali.
One of the year's most-watched trailers, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is one of the biggest Indian releases of the year. It is the first instalment in Nitesh Tiwari's two-parter adaptation of the epic.
In Sony's telling, it's the story of Rama, a prince destined for sacrifice, and Ravana, an immortal king consumed by vengeance, being two powerful men connected by destiny and bound by prophecy.
Set against a mythical backdrop, the film sees Ranbir Kapoor play Rama, Yash play Ravana and Sai Pallavi play Sita.
A Prince and a Prophecy
Only so much of the film has been revealed publicly, but we know that it begins the Ramayana's legend, with the tale of a prince and princess, their wedding and their exile. Events from the war onwards will be saved for the second instalment.
Nitesh Tiwari's Biggest Swing
Tiwari is best known for helming Dangal, still one of the most adored Hindi-language films ever made, as well as college-set drama Chhichhore about finding meaning in failure, and Bawaal.
If there's one thing that connects Tiwari's work, it's the focus on people, namely families, friends, fathers and the discussions that take place over dinner tables. And that's exactly what Ramayana is, at its core, being a family drama that turns epic in scale. A tale of two brothers who refuse to abandon each other, a father's sacred vow and a stepmother's wishes.
Co-written by Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan (Pathaan), the film should benefit from the former's grounding in human drama, hopefully balancing spectacle with quieter character moments.
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Ranbir and Yash Face Off
In Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, Ranbir Kapoor is Rama, which is very different from the raging protagonists he played in Rockstar and Animal. While rage is easy to play, it's control that is harder to play.
And who better to play the villain than Yash, one of Kannada cinema's biggest stars after the KGF films, as he is also producing the film through his banner, Monster Mind Creations.
Known for choosing her roles carefully, from Premam to Amaran, Sai Pallavi has carved a niche for herself as an actor who only takes on projects that offer her meaty roles.
The Wider Cast
Rounding out the cast are Ravie Dubey (best known for his television work) as Rama's ever-devoted younger brother Lakshman (a significant character in the first half of the Ramayana). Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi, Sunny Deol, Rakul Preet Singh as Shurpanakha and Kajal Aggarwal as Mandodari.
Perhaps the most poignant casting is of veteran actor Arun Govil as King Dashrath, since for those who grew up watching the 1987 Ramayan, Govil is most recognisable as the lead himself.
Hans Zimmer Meets A.R. Rahman
Rise of a Legend is produced by Namit Malhotra via Prime Focus Studios. The film's visual effects have been handled by DNEG, which is the Oscar-winning VFX studio behind films like Tenet and Dune. It's shot by cinematographers Mahesh Limaye and Pankaj Kumar (known for Tumbbad). The film has been edited by Huzefa Lokhandwala.
The soundtrack is being helmed by Hans Zimmer (Inception, Gladiator, Dune) and A.R. Rahman (need we mention any of his films?). While the latter's body of work is already legendary (Rockstar, Roja), Zimmer has made a name for himself with his compositions for epic blockbusters like Dune, Inception and Gladiator. The pair has not yet released the film's soundtrack.
Built for the Big Screen
Scheduled to release in PLF, IMAX and regular theatres, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend will most likely be this year's biggest spectacle on the Indian cinema circuit, which is worth an IMAX ticket, we bet.
What to Expect
With VFX from an Oscar-winning studio and a soundtrack by two genre-defining composers, Rise of a Legend promises to be a spectacle.
The film's focus on Rama's family, including Ayodhya in general as a strength of director Tiwari's, during his marriage and exile should keep things grounded.
And with Yash not just headlining as Rama's antagonist Ravana, but producing the film as well, Rise of a Legend seems to treat both its heroes and antiheroes with equal gravitas.
Two Films, One Story
Ramayana will be split into two films. Rise of a Legend is the first. Part two is scheduled to release in India on Diwali 2027.
It would have been tough to adequately adapt the Ramayana in a single film, especially the quieter, non-war elements that audiences tend to associate with the epic.
Release Date
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend will release in theatres in Hindi and English on Thursday 5 November 2026, which is around Diwali. No streaming platform has been announced just yet, but we'll update this section if/when a streaming date is revealed.
New Trailer
Sony Pictures released a fresh trailer for Ramayana: Rise of a Legend on 15 October 2026. Running at 2 minutes and 37 seconds, the clip provides more insight into the film's tone, visuals and characters.
An English-language trailer was previously released in August.
Who It's For
Firstly, if you're looking for a blockbuster that you can watch with your family this Diwali, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend could be just the ticket.
If you're eager to see Indian storytelling and filmmaking compete with Hollywood epics in terms of scale and spectacle, Rise of a Legend looks promising.
And if you enjoyed Dangal, Rise of a Legend's focus on family and character drama could prove equally moving.
FAQs
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