For months, the Diwali conversation in Hindi cinema has had one oversized placeholder: Ramayana: Part One. On October 8, that placeholder reportedly moved. According to Pinkvilla, later echoed by Filmfare and NDTV, Ranbir Kapoor's mythological epic is now slated to open in India on November 5, 2026, with paid previews a day earlier on November 4.
The shift matters because producer Namit Malhotra had previously pointed to a November 8 Diwali window. Filmfare was careful to stress that the makers have not yet officially announced the change. Until they do, the new date remains a report — a strong one, repeated across multiple outlets, but still a report.
What the Pinkvilla and Filmfare reports say
Pinkvilla's exclusive said Ramayana: Part One would release theatrically in India on November 5, with paid previews on November 4. Filmfare framed the same information as a preponement from the earlier November 8 plan associated with Malhotra. NDTV and Times of India carried matching India dates and added an overseas sketch: paid previews in North America on November 4, openings on November 5 across several territories, and November 6 for the UK, South Africa and Mauritius, with East Asian dates still to be confirmed.
That is an unusually detailed rollout for a story the studio has not formally stamped. Trade desks often publish locking plans weeks before posters catch up; audiences should still treat November 5 as reported until Prime Focus Studios or the film's official channels say so.
Cast, music and the two-part plan
Nitesh Tiwari directs. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana and Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, with Ravie Dubey reported as Lakshmana. The film is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations. Filmfare notes it was shot for IMAX, with music from Academy Award winners Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman — a pairing that has been part of the project's pitch since early marketing.
Makers have described the project as a two-part retelling, with Part One in 2026 and Part Two planned for 2027. A September 2026 special event that put Ranbir and Sai Pallavi on the same carpet — the source of this article's cover photograph — was one of the few recent public reminders that the epic is moving from set to release calendar.
Why the date change still needs an official stamp
Preponing by a few days inside a festival window is common when distributors want a cleaner Thursday preview-to-Friday open, or when overseas calendars need alignment. It can also be a soft reset after an earlier date was spoken about more firmly than the paperwork supported. What it is not, yet, is a locked studio announcement.
Filmfare explicitly noted that the makers are yet to officially announce the reported change. Until a press note, poster or social post from the producers confirms November 5, rival Diwali titles and exhibitors will keep both November 5 and November 8 in their contingency grids.
How this fits Ranbir's 2026 slate
Ramayana is the scale play in a year when Ranbir's commercial weight has been a constant tabloid and trade theme. Our earlier Sunday Profile piece, "Ranbir Kapoor Turned 44 With a Reported ₹475 Crore Empire — Bungalow, Garage, and Ramayana Fee Decoded," treated the film's paycheck as part of a wider empire story. A firmer November open would also put the epic in conversation with the same autumn box-office heat that films like Drishyam 3 have been riding in India — a reminder that big Hindi releases still live and die by opening-weekend clarity.
For now, the responsible headline is the cautious one: Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: Part One is reportedly headed for November 5 in India, with paid previews on November 4, pending the makers' official word.
FAQ
When is Ramayana Part One releasing in India according to reports?
Pinkvilla and Filmfare report November 5, 2026, with paid previews on November 4.
What was the earlier date?
Producer Namit Malhotra had previously indicated a November 8 Diwali window.
Who stars in the film?
Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, directed by Nitesh Tiwari.
Who is scoring the music?
Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, according to Filmfare's report.
Have the makers confirmed the new date?
Not as of the October 8 reports. Outlets stressed the change was still unofficial.
Cover photo: Bollywood Hungama / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0