"Ramayana: Part One," reportedly the most expensive film ever made in India, opened in theaters worldwide this week to a split critical reception, with early reviewers praising its scale and lead performances while disagreeing sharply over its visual effects and storytelling.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and headlined by Ranbir Kapoor as the god-king Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as the demon king Ravana, the film is the first installment of a planned two-part retelling of the Sanskrit epic, with a second part due next year. Indian trade outlets have reported wildly varying budget figures for the production — some citing several hundred crore rupees for this installment alone, others putting the combined cost of both parts far higher — but agree it is the costliest Hindi-language film ever produced.
The film premiered in Los Angeles in late October ahead of its global theatrical release, timed to this year's Diwali holiday. Reactions from that premiere were largely enthusiastic: trade analyst Taran Adarsh, writing for Bollywood Hungama, gave the film a rare five-star rave, calling it "not merely a film" but "an experience." Social media reaction leaned positive too, with several viewers comparing its scale to "The Lord of the Rings."
Other critics were less convinced. One Indian entertainment outlet argued Kapoor's performance in the title role fell short even as it praised Yash's turn as Ravana, while international reviewers flagged pacing and narrative problems beneath the visual spectacle. The film's effects work has drawn criticism dating back to its first teaser, when viewers mocked its computer-generated sequences as unfinished-looking; producer Namit Malhotra and Kapoor have both pushed back publicly on the criticism, with Kapoor suggesting some viewers were judging finished visuals on small phone screens.
The divided reception has not stopped "Ramayana" from becoming one of the most closely watched Indian box-office releases in years, given both its budget and the cultural weight of retelling one of Hinduism's foundational stories for a mainstream multiplex audience. A second part, which will reportedly focus on Rama's exile and the war with Ravana's forces, is expected in cinemas around Diwali 2027.