One of Indian cinema’s most ambitious projects steps onto the world stage on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, as Ramayana holds its world premiere at the David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Around 945 guests are expected for the 3D screening, which will be preceded by a Diwali-inspired red carpet where traditional attire is encouraged and Hollywood and international media are expected to attend.
The choice of venue is significant. The Academy Museum is a temple of world cinema, and a premiere there signals that Ramayana is being positioned not merely as an Indian release, but as a global cinematic event. The Diwali theme for the red carpet adds a cultural layer, inviting international guests to encounter the festival atmosphere that surrounds the film’s story.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is a two-part adaptation of the ancient epic. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, Yash plays Ravana and Sunny Deol plays Hanuman. The casting has been the subject of intense discussion since it was announced, with each choice carrying the weight of characters revered by millions. The film’s approach, judging by its promotional material, is to treat the epic with scale and spectacle while keeping its central relationships at the heart of the story.
The film is produced by Prime Focus Studios, with DNEG and Monster Mind Creations. The involvement of DNEG, a visual effects house with Academy Award-winning work, underlines the technical ambition: a world that must feel ancient and mythic, yet believable on a modern 3D screen. Monster Mind Creations, associated with Yash, also plays a distribution role, with Yash handling Karnataka distribution through the company.
Ramayana is scheduled for theatrical release on 5 November, and advance booking suggests strong early interest. According to Sacnilk, advance booking for day one has reached around Rs 13 crore gross including blocked seats, and around Rs 10.50 crore excluding blocked seats. Bookings are currently open for the first five days. The distinction between gross and net figures matters: blocked seats are held by exhibitors and may or may not convert into sales, so the lower figure is the more conservative measure of confirmed advance demand.
There has also been talk, reported on 26 October, of a clash with the re-release of Akshay Kumar’s Mohra. That talk is reported, not confirmed, and re-release schedules can shift quickly. For now, it remains a footnote to the larger story of Ramayana’s launch, rather than a confirmed box-office contest.
The premiere in Los Angeles is only the beginning. A film of this scale will be judged not by its red carpet, but by how audiences respond when it reaches cinemas on 5 November. The advance booking numbers suggest curiosity is high. The premiere will test whether the film can convert that curiosity into international attention. For Indian cinema, which has increasingly sought global audiences, the Los Angeles premiere is a statement of intent: this is a story from India, told for the world.
