MUMBAI, Nov 6: Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari’s much-anticipated mythological epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has made an impressive start at the worldwide box office, collecting approximately Rs 127 crore on its opening day. However, despite its extensive release and massive promotional campaign, the film has failed to surpass the opening-day record set by Prabhas-starrer Adipurush.
Featuring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, the film arrived in theatres worldwide on November 5, generating considerable excitement among audiences well before its release.
The opening figures indicate that the film has secured one of the strongest box office starts of the year, although its performance remained below the expectations initially associated with the scale of the production.
According to early trade estimates, the film earned Rs 64.85 crore net at the Indian box office on its first day, while its domestic gross collection stood at approximately Rs 77.50 crore. Overseas earnings helped take its worldwide opening-day total to around Rs 127 crore.
The numbers placed the film among the major theatrical openings in Indian cinema, but it remained behind several previous blockbusters in the overall opening-day rankings.
Hindi version leads domestic collections
The Hindi version emerged as the biggest contributor to the film’s domestic earnings, reflecting the strong interest generated by Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Lord Rama.
According to trade figures reported by Sacnilk, the Hindi version collected approximately Rs 47.50 crore net on Thursday. The Kannada version contributed Rs 7.25 crore, while the Telugu version earned Rs 6 crore.
The Tamil version recorded approximately Rs 2.60 crore, and the Malayalam version collected Rs 1.50 crore.
The film was screened across approximately 25,200 shows in multiple languages, underlining the scale of its theatrical distribution.
Despite the substantial opening, its Kannada-language performance attracted particular attention because of Yash’s popularity in the region following the success of the KGF franchise.
The opening-day collection was also significant because the film was released across a wide network of theatres, with the makers targeting audiences in India and international markets.
Fails to surpass Adipurush’s opening
One of the major talking points following the release has been the film’s inability to outperform Adipurush in opening-day collections.
The Prabhas-led mythological drama, which received considerable criticism over its visual presentation and adaptation of the epic, had recorded a higher opening than the latest cinematic interpretation of the Ramayana.
Despite the difference in audience reception and critical response, the comparison has become an important benchmark for trade analysts evaluating the commercial performance of the new film.
The worldwide opening of approximately Rs 127 crore also fell short of initial expectations, with early projections suggesting that the film could have approached Rs 160 crore.
Nevertheless, its domestic performance has provided a strong foundation for the extended Diwali holiday period. The coming days are expected to be important in determining whether positive audience reactions can translate into sustained ticket sales.
Trade observers will also closely monitor weekday collections and the performance of different language versions before assessing the film’s overall commercial prospects.
An ambitious cinematic adaptation
Produced by Namit Malhotra under Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana has been developed as a two-part cinematic project.
The film seeks to bring one of India’s most widely recognised epics to the big screen through large-scale production, elaborate visual effects and an international filmmaking approach.
Nitesh Tiwari, known for directing films such as Dangal and Chhichhore, has taken charge of the ambitious project.
Ranbir Kapoor leads the cast as Rama, while Sai Pallavi portrays Sita. Yash appears as Ravana, bringing one of the most significant antagonistic characters in Indian mythology to the screen.
The supporting cast includes Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman.
The production has attracted attention for its extensive visual effects work, with DNEG contributing to the technical execution of the project. The involvement of international production resources has also made the film one of the most closely watched Indian cinematic ventures.
The makers have positioned the project as a large-scale interpretation of the epic, with the intention of presenting its characters and narrative to audiences across different countries and languages.
Audience reactions and industry response
The film generated considerable discussion on social media following its theatrical release, with viewers sharing reactions to the performances, production design, background score and visual effects.
Several early audience reactions praised the scale of the presentation, particularly the depiction of important sequences involving Rama, Ravana and other central characters.
The visual effects and climax also became major talking points among moviegoers. Some viewers compared the production’s scale with international fantasy franchises, while others focused on the performances of the lead actors.
Filmmaker Karan Johar also expressed appreciation for Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Rama, describing the actor’s performance as meditative.
The response from the entertainment industry has added to the attention surrounding the film, which has been promoted as one of the year’s biggest cinematic events.
The makers have also released promotional material highlighting the characters and musical elements of the production.
A post-credit sequence introducing Sunny Deol as Hanuman attracted particular interest. Following the circulation of footage from the sequence online, the makers officially released a glimpse of the character through the Hanuman Chalisa music video on November 5.
The promotional release has further increased anticipation surrounding the character’s role in the next instalment.
What lies ahead for the franchise?
The first instalment establishes the foundation for the larger two-part story, with the second chapter expected to continue the epic narrative.
The makers are planning the next instalment for a subsequent theatrical release, with Diwali 2027 having initially been indicated as the target period in earlier announcements. The release schedule will be important for maintaining audience interest in the franchise.
For the current film, the immediate challenge will be sustaining its box office momentum beyond the opening day.
A production of this scale requires strong collections over an extended theatrical run, making audience retention and repeat viewership important factors in determining its final commercial outcome.
The film’s performance during the Diwali holiday period, particularly in Hindi-speaking markets and southern states, will provide a clearer picture of its long-term prospects.
While the opening has established Ramayana: Rise of a Legend as a major box office contender, its ability to maintain momentum will ultimately determine whether it can meet the enormous expectations surrounding the project.