There are only two more days to go for the release of director Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, and Yash as demon king Raavan. The significance of the story, the star-studded cast, and the scheduled release of the film in Diwali are among the factors that leading cinema chains in India cite as the demand drivers for the film. Across PVR INOX locations alone, the film has already sold 4 lakh tickets through advance reservations.
On the overwhelming response for the film, Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Business Planning and Strategy, PVR INOX Limited, shares, “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 blockbusters, both in India and internationally.”
Echoing this sentiment, Cinepolis India's Managing Director Devang Sampat shares,“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 Cinepolis 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.”
Meanwhile, the Gujarat-based Rajhans Cinemas' CEO Kuldeep Singh adds, "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."
With audiences keep themselves busy with shopping during the Diwali season, films tend to face a setback at the box office. Despite this tendency, single-screen exhibitor Akshaye Rathi noted that the Ramayana box office collection is likely to cross 100 crore across languages on release day itself.
Adding to the growing trade confidence, BookMyShow's Cinemas COO Ashish Saksena stated, "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 anticipation for the film's release, District CEO Rahul Ganjoo shared, “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.”
Meanwhile, MovieMax's Chief Development Officer, Sanjay Dalia, added, “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.”
