Oct 22, 2026 6:36pm IST
‘Ramayana’ and ‘King’ Face Box Office Litmus test with ₹1,800 Crore on the Line
With “Ramayana” reportedly made at a budget of ₹1,400 crore and Shah Rukh Khan’s “King” mounted on an estimated ₹400 crore, including marketing, the stakes are enormous. Trade analysts Komal Nahta and Ramesh Bala weigh in on the buzz, opening-day expectations and the festive-season advantage.
A staggering ₹1,800 crore is reportedly riding on two of Indian cinema’s biggest upcoming films — Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash’s “Ramayana” and Shah Rukh Khan’s “King.” With both films carrying massive commercial expectations, the industry is watching whether these spectacles can justify their investments and set new box-office benchmarks.
‘Ramayana’: Turning Buzz into Blockbuster Numbers
With paid previews of “Ramayana,” which is scheduled for November 5, the film is entering a crucial phase of its promotional campaign. Trade analyst Komal Nahta believes it could redefine Indian cinema, particularly in visual effects and box-office performance. According to Nahta, audience sentiment has reversed dramatically. He points out that while the first teaser drew negative reactions, the trailer was received very well. The film is expected to open at ₹100 crores or more across languages on its first day. He also anticipates premium ticket pricing, potentially ranging between ₹800 and ₹1,200 at select cinemas.
Trade analyst Ramesh Bala shares his optimism but believes the film’s success will ultimately depend on its execution. “The buzz is increasing. For such epics, there is a strong audience, especially in North India. If the movie is good, the VFX is impressive and the performances are strong, there is a lot of potential. They should be able to recover the money from theatrical business as well,” he says.
Bala also predicts a massive opening across multiple languages. “‘Ramayana’ will certainly gross around ₹100 crores on Day 1 in India. Record-breaking numbers are possible. We have to see how the Telugu market responds because it is a big market,” he says.
Related Stories
‘King’: Shah Rukh Khan’s Christmas Advantage
Shah Rukh Khan’s “King” represents another major commercial gamble. For Komal Nahta, the film’s biggest strengths are Shah Rukh Khan’s striking new appearance, his reunion with the “Pathaan” director Siddharth Anand, and its Christmas release. “King looks exciting because SRK’s look is so different from what we have seen before. Plus, the actor-director duo gave us ‘Pathaan’ earlier, so expectations are sky-high. Christmas week is best for overseas as well as India release,” Nahta shares.
The Christmas window could give “King” a significant advantage, particularly in overseas markets where Shah Rukh Khan enjoys a strong following. However, Ramesh Bala believes it is premature to predict the film’s box-office performance. “We have not seen much promotional material yet. We have to wait until we see more,” he says.
The ₹1,800 Crore Box Office Challenge
The reported combined investment makes both films’ commercial performance particularly significant. However, box-office collections cannot be equated directly with producer recoveries, since theatrical revenues are shared with exhibitors and distributors. Digital, satellite and music rights could also play an important role in recovering costs.
For “Ramayana,” the immediate challenge is converting its growing buzz into advance bookings, a record opening and sustained collections. “King,” meanwhile, will bank on Shah Rukh Khan’s star power, the “Pathaan” association and the Christmas holiday period.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.