Ramayana 2 may miss Diwali 2027 release as makers consider a delay

The second instalment of director Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana may no longer arrive during Diwali 2027. Producer Namit Malhotra is considering moving Ramayana 2 to Diwali 2028 to allow more time for filming and production.The proposed change would increase the gap between the two films, which were initially planned for release about a year apart. The first instalment, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, is preparing for its theatrical release on November 5. However, the makers have not confirmed a revised release date for the second part.According to a Bollywood Hungama report, discussions about extending the production schedule are being driven by the additional filming required for the second instalment. Its major war sequences are also said to be a factor behind the proposed delay.A source close to the entertainment portal said, "Ramayana is an emotion for Namit Malhotra, and he is leaving no stone unturned to present the Indian audience with a cinema-watching experience like never before." The source added, "While the first part is set to release in a couple of days from now, the second instalment needs some more shooting time."Referring to the scale of the planned sequences, the source said, "As everyone knows, the real scale of Ramayana is in the second part, where the war actually unfolds." If the revised schedule is finalised, the filmmakers will have more time to complete the large-scale sequences in the concluding instalment. For now, the reported postponement remains unconfirmed, with the production team yet to issue an official statement about changing the release window.Advance bookings gather paceAccording to trade tracker Sacnilk, the film had sold more than 1.47 lakh tickets across 3,964 shows as of 11.42 am on October 23, 2026. Its advance gross stood at Rs 8.27 crore when block seats were included and Rs 6.25 crore when they were excluded.The total gross, including block seats, rose 52 per cent from Rs 5.44 crore in the first 24 hours to Rs 8.27 crore. Collections excluding block seats increased 73 per cent, from Rs 3.61 crore to Rs 6.25 crore. The value of blocked seats rose from Rs 1.83 crore to Rs 2.02 crore.As a result, blocked seats accounted for about 24 per cent of the total gross, down from roughly 34 per cent earlier. Of the Rs 2.83 crore added during this period, nearly 93 per cent came from unblocked, confirmed ticket purchases.The number of tracked shows rose 12 per cent, from 3,533 to 3,964. Overall bookings, including blocked seats, increased 58 per cent from 92,755 tickets to more than 1.47 lakh. Average sales per show consequently climbed from 26 to 37 tickets.No tracked screening had sold out at that stage, leaving substantial ticket inventory available. By Thursday night, advance bookings had crossed 50,000 tickets across major multiplex chains such as PVR INOX and Cinepolis. Premium large-screen formats, including IMAX and 4DX, were driving early interest, while bookings for standard multiplex screens were still building.For comparison, Dhurandhar: The Revenge sold more than 9.50 lakh opening-day advance tickets across over 17,000 shows before its release. Ramayana's show count remained lower, leaving room for more screenings as exhibitors finalised schedules after earlier delays linked to a revenue-sharing dispute between distributors and cinema owners.Industry benchmarks indicated that more than 3.5 lakh opening-day ticket sales across the top three national chains would mark a strong pre-Diwali start, while five lakh tickets represented a higher target. A larger surge was expected in the final week before release, beginning around October 29, as exhibitors opened complete show schedules and allocated more screens across the country.Trade circles had discussed an India nett opening target of Rs 70 crore. November 5 falls on a pre-Diwali Thursday, meaning the film would not receive the full benefit of a national holiday on opening day. A Rs 60 crore opening was also cited as a possible foundation if business gained momentum during the main festive period beginning November 9. Paid previews scheduled for November 4 were expected to provide an early boost before the nationwide theatrical rollout.First instalment set for November 2026Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is the first film in the planned two-part adaptation of Valmiki's ancient text. The film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. It is produced by Namit Malhotra, with Yash also associated as a producer. Prime Focus Studios is co-producing the film in association with DNEG and Yash's Monster Mind Creations.Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, while Sai Pallavi portrays Goddess Sita. Yash plays Ravana, Sunny Deol appears as Lord Hanuman and Ravi Dubey portrays Lakshman in the film.- Ends