Sep 18, 2026 10:29am IST
‘Ramayana’: English Version of the Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash Starrer to Be 30 Minutes Shorter Than Hindi Cut (EXCLUSIVE)
Nitesh Tiwari’s much-awaited “Ramayana” has shaped up as a two-part cinematic spectacle, with the makers preparing separate versions for Indian and international audiences. The English version of the film will reportedly be around 30 minutes shorter than the Hindi cut, making for a more concise edit aimed at global viewers.
According to a source, “The film will not have any songs and also some scenes will be trimmed to suit the palate of international audiences. While Indian audiences are used to three-hour-plus films with songs, that doesn’t hold true for a global audience, which is why the producers took this decision.”
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The decision is strategic as the makers position the film as an international-scale adaptation of one of India’s most enduring epics. The songs do not take the story forward, and are only to enhance the narrative for the Indian audiences. In the Indian languages, the songs in the epic will roll out in a grand manner. The film is touted to be one of the biggest theatrical releases of the year. “Ramayana: Part 1” will release internationally, including in the US, on November 6, 2026, while the India release is scheduled for November 8, 2026, coinciding with Diwali.
In an earlier interview, Ranbir Kapoor compared the scale of the project to Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings.” He also revealed that the two-part saga contains nearly six hours of epic visuals and action sequences, with the story exploring themes of family, duty, love and the triumph of good over evil.
The film, produced by Namit Malhotra, has been mounted on an enormous scale, with Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman coming together for the music. The cast features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Yash as Ravana and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, among others. The project is being released in multiple languages, including English, as part of its global rollout.
The international release strategy and shorter runtime reflect the makers’ ambition to take the story beyond its traditional audience while retaining its emotional and cultural core. The second part is planned for a Diwali 2027 release, but the exact date is not locked.
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