Nitesh Tiwari's much-awaited Ramayana: Part 1, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi, will reach Australian cinemas a day ahead of its scheduled worldwide release, giving the Indian epic an early international start during the Diwali season.

The film is now set to open in Australia on November 5, 2026, while its wider international and Indian theatrical release is scheduled for November 6. The early overseas rollout comes as Ramayana faces a major box-office clash with the Hollywood film Godzilla Minus Zero, which is also targeting the Diwali period.

Why Ramayana Is Releasing Early in Australia

The Australian release gives Ramayana: Part 1 a one-day head start in an important overseas market. The decision appears aimed at maximising the film's international theatrical opportunity before the wider Diwali-weekend competition begins.

The makers have positioned Ramayana as a global-scale Indian production, and its international release strategy is therefore an important part of the film's theatrical campaign. The film is expected to be released worldwide on November 6. 

Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Yash as Ravana

The film features Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, while Ravi Dubey has been cast as Lakshman.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Part 1 is the first instalment of a planned two-part adaptation of the Indian epic. The project has attracted considerable attention because of its large-scale production, extensive visual effects and international ambitions.

The film's technical preparation has also been unusually extensive. Cinematographer Pankaj Kumar recently revealed that the team pre-visualised every shot using motion-capture technology during production planning, allowing Tiwari and the crew to work out the visual language before filming. 

Diwali Box Office Clash With Godzilla

The November release places Ramayana directly in the middle of one of the year's most important theatrical windows.

The film's early Australian release comes amid competition from Godzilla Minus Zero. The Hollywood title's arrival around the same festive period means international markets could become an important battleground for both films.

For Ramayana, the Australia advance could help the film begin its overseas run before the wider international market becomes crowded.

Film Has Already Generated Casting Debate

Even before its theatrical release, Ramayana has attracted discussion around its casting and interpretation of the epic.

Shiv Sagar, grandson of filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, recently questioned Ranbir Kapoor's suitability for the role of Lord Ram while praising Yash's casting as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita. His comments reflect an ongoing public debate about how the revered characters should be portrayed on screen. 

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has also expressed reservations about Kapoor's casting, particularly in the context of his previous role in Animal. These are individual opinions rather than an indication of the film's final audience response. 

What to Expect From Ramayana Part 1

The film is being mounted on a large scale with Prime Focus Studios, Monster Mind Creations and DNEG involved in its production and visual-effects work. The cast also includes several established actors in supporting roles. 

With the Australian release now scheduled for November 5 and the broader theatrical rollout beginning November 6, Ramayana: Part 1 is heading into a highly competitive Diwali window.

The early Australia opening will provide the first indication of international audience interest before the film's wider global release.

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana was originally scheduled to unveil its first official trailer at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, positioning it as one of the biggest Indian film presentations at the global pop-culture event. Producer Namit Malhotra announced a postponement just before the scheduled launch, pushing the reveal to a later, unconfirmed date. Almost immediately after that announcement, clips began circulating on YouTube and X carrying titles like "Official Trailer Leaked" and "Ramayana SDCC Trailer."

None of it is real. Fact-checks by multiple outlets have confirmed the viral clips are fan-made edits, built using AI-generated visuals stitched together with footage lifted from other films and old concept videos. The visuals in these clips don't match anything the production has officially released, and none of the videos have been shared or acknowledged by the film's makers or its production banners.

This isn't the first time footage claiming to be from Ramayana has gone viral under murky circumstances. Roughly a week earlier, a separate video purporting to show leaked footage from an actual trailer screening event circulated online, appearing to show glimpses of Yash as Ravana, Arun Govil as King Dashratha and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi. That leak was reportedly tied to an actual screening event where the trailer was played for a live audience before its official release; a source told Mid-day that Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari had activated anti-piracy partners to curb its spread, with takedown efforts underway. Unlike this week's clips, that footage was never conclusively confirmed as either authentic or fabricated by the makers.

Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, Ravi Dubey as Lakshman, Arun Govil as King Dashratha and Lara Dutta as Kaikeyi. Produced by Prime Focus Studios alongside DNEG and Monster Mind Creations, with music from Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, the film is being released as a two-part epic, with Part 1 arriving in cinemas on Diwali 2026 and Part 2 following on Diwali 2027, both shot for IMAX.

With anticipation for the film running unusually high and the makers yet to confirm a revised trailer date, viewers should expect more of these AI-generated fakes to keep surfacing in the gap — official confirmation will only come directly from Malhotra, Tiwari or the studio's verified channels.