Ramayana will arrive in cinemas on November 5, four days before Diwali, and the Hindi film trade is treating the placement as one of the season’s boldest calls. By opening before the festival, the film pushes the post-Diwali holiday—traditionally the most lucrative day on the calendar—to its fifth day in theatres.
A date that breaks the template
Most producers open on Diwali or a day later, so the holiday surge lands on day one. Ramayana flips that logic. Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Purnia, Bihar, described the decision as “a gutsy move on the part of the producers.”
His reasoning is partly about exhibition. Had the film arrived on November 9 instead, he said, he might have had to shut his cinema until Ramayana opened because holdover titles are ending their runs. The earlier date means exhibitors keep earning before the festival and producers get an extended festive first week. “It’s a win-win situation from that perspective,” he added.
Taran Adarsh took a similar view. He accepted that many people are busy with cleaning, shopping and festivities before Diwali, but said Ramayana is “so beautifully timed and is the most appropriate release for this season.”
The Rs 100 crore opening-day math
The day-one projection being discussed is conditional, not confirmed. Chauhan laid out the equation:
- 6 lakh tickets sold before release
- at the highest possible average ticket price
- could mean a Rs 100 crore-plus opening day
Advance bookings are described as good to great so far, and the trade is watching whether the film reaches that pre-release sales mark. Atul Mohan pushed back on the “pre-Diwali” label, calling this Diwali week. Diwali falls on Sunday, he said, while the film opens on Thursday.
He also believes the film’s subject, visual scale and casting work in its favour. Parents will want children to watch the epic, he argued, and modern VFX makes it visually appealing. Ranbir Kapoor is one of the biggest stars in the current crop.
Raj Bansal said the star casting expands the audience beyond those who follow the epic. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Yash plays Ravana, and Sunny Deol is Lord Hanuman. In earlier versions, he noted, popular stars did not lead these roles.
The risk the trade is watching
There is a counterpoint. Chauhan and Bansal both noted that labour-class audiences and many families are busy with celebrations before Diwali, which can keep them away from cinemas; Bansal compared the effect to Ramzan. The early date therefore tests whether star power and an extended window can offset the traditional slowdown.
For fans, the practical step is to book early if you want a first-weekend seat: the 6-lakh ticket mark is the number the trade will cite as the opening-day signal.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com