Industry Watch: Trade Experts Expect Ramayana to Brave Pre-Diwali Slump with Record Opening Day

With advance bookings gathering strong momentum across multiple days, Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana is poised to set a new benchmark for Hindi cinema in the pre-Diwali period, with bookings already crossing 4 lakh tickets across the PVR INOX circuit for the extended opening weekend spanning Thursday to Monday.

Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana is gearing up for a historic box-office opening, with the film heading towards what could be the biggest pre-Diwali advance booking for a Hindi film. As anticipation builds ahead of its November 5 release, the film is witnessing an encouraging response at the ticket counters, raising an interesting question: Can the Ranbir Kapoor and Yash-led epic finally break the pre-Diwali box-office curse?

Traditionally, the pre-Diwali period has not been considered an ideal window for Hindi film releases, with audiences often occupied with festive preparations, shopping and social commitments. However, Ramayana seems to be challenging that convention. What makes the advance booking particularly noteworthy is that the momentum is not restricted to opening day, with tickets selling across multiple days, indicating sustained audience interest beyond the first day.

The film has already crossed 4 lakh tickets in advance bookings across the PVR INOX circuit, underlining the scale of anticipation surrounding this cinematic adaptation of the Indian epic. With bookings continuing to gather pace, the film is now eyeing the one-million-ticket mark ahead of its theatrical release.

Sharing his thoughts on the response, Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Business Planning and Strategy, PVR INOX Limited, says, “The response to Ramayana has been truly exceptional, with advance bookings already crossing 4 lakh tickets across the PVR INOX circuit. For a film of this scale and cultural significance, arriving just ahead of Diwali, the anticipation among audiences has been remarkable. With bookings gathering strong momentum, we expect the numbers to cross the 1 million ticket mark by Wednesday night, ahead of its release on Thursday. Given its scale, cultural connect and appeal across generations, Ramayana has the potential to emerge as the biggest Indian blockbuster, both in India and overseas.”

Echoing the sentiment, Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinépolis India, says, “Ramayana is poised to set a new benchmark for pre-Diwali week collections, with ticket sales showing an exceptional response across our cinemas. The film carries an emotional and cultural connection that transcends generations, making it a true big-screen celebration for families. This release is particularly special for Cinépolis as we celebrate reaching the 500-screen milestone in India, and Ramayana feels like the perfect cinematic event to mark this important chapter in our journey.”

Adding to the positive trade sentiment, Kuldeep Singh, CEO, Rajhans Cinemas, one of Gujarat’s leading cinema exhibition chains, says, “The initial response to Ramayana is extremely encouraging, and the trailer has created tremendous excitement among audiences. The film has the potential to attract audiences across all age groups. We are very optimistic about its performance and strongly believe that Ramayana has all the elements to create history at the box office, deliver a landmark cinematic experience and set new benchmarks in Indian cinema.”

Leading single-screen exhibitor Akshaye Rathi also highlighted the unique challenge of the pre-Diwali release window while expressing strong confidence in the film’s box-office potential. 

He points out that audiences are generally occupied with socialising, Diwali shopping and festivities during this period, which can affect their ability to commit to a theatrical outing. Despite this, he believes Ramayana is poised for a massive opening, with the potential to cross ₹60 crore nett in Hindi and possibly ₹100 crore gross across all languages on Day 1 nationally.

He further notes that the post-Diwali period, particularly from November 9 onwards, traditionally witnesses a significant surge in theatrical footfalls, provided the film receives a positive audience response. Given the scale of the film, its technological ambition and the emotional connect of the Ramayana across generations, Rathi believes it could deliver a spectacular theatrical experience. He sees the coming festive period as an opportunity for Indian cinema to bring together the best of Eastern storytelling and Western technology, potentially creating a memorable box-office celebration for the entire industry.

Adding to the growing trade confidence, Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow, said, “What is particularly notable about the advance bookings for Ramayana is the sustained momentum and the growing anticipation around the film, especially given the fact that the pre-Diwali period has traditionally been subdued for the theatrical business. The response we are witnessing so far is a strong indicator of the audience’s appetite for large-scale cinematic experiences and, more importantly, for stories that are deeply rooted in our cultural heritage and collective consciousness. What is also particularly exciting is the traction we are seeing across dubbed-language versions, which points to the film’s growing pan-India appeal and its ability to resonate with audiences well beyond its primary language markets.

The uptake across premium formats, particularly IMAX and 3D, is equally encouraging, with advance bookings indicating strong demand for an immersive, big-screen experience. The combination of a culturally resonant story, an expansive multi-language release, and the sheer scale of its cinematic presentation positions Ramayana for a truly spectacular theatrical outing. All early indicators point towards the film being a major festive draw, with the potential to emerge as one of the biggest blockbusters.”

Highlighting the growing audience anticipation even before the film’s theatrical release, Rahul Ganjoo, CEO, District, said, “We’ve been watching people get ready for Ramayana for weeks. Hype, a feature on District that allows users to express their excitement for a title, has already seen 4 lakh people express their excitement for the film. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Vizag, Chennai, Pune, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad are leading the way. This is a story many of us first heard at home, so it makes sense to see that excitement build before the first show has even begun.”

Adding to the exhibition industry’s optimism, Sanjay Dalia, Chief Development Officer, MovieMax, said, “Ramayana is generating tremendous excitement among moviegoers. We received a very encouraging response to advance bookings within 48 hours of advances being opened, and this is likely to get bigger. For MovieMax, it is an exciting opportunity to be part of a cinematic event of this scale. With our growing presence of screens across India, we look forward to welcoming audiences and celebrating the magic of cinema together during this festive season. We believe Ramayana has all the ingredients to make this Diwali season memorable for the theatrical exhibition industry.”

With its cultural significance, scale and appeal across generations, Ramayana is looking to create a box-office moment of its own while potentially changing the narrative around theatrical releases in the pre-Diwali period.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios, in association with eight-time Academy Award-winning visual effects and production studio DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is envisioned as a two-part cinematic epic. Part 1 will release worldwide in cinemas on 5 November 2026, followed by Part 2 in Diwali 2028. The film will release in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam across India, with IMAX among its premium theatrical formats. Sony Pictures will distribute the film globally, excluding India, while Dharma Productions will handle distribution in the Hindi-speaking market.

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