The first instalment of ‘Ramayana’, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi as Ram and Sita, premiered at a star-studded world premiere at the David Geffen Theatre of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

Kapoor, Pallavi, producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari and actor-producer Yash attended the gala event on October 27 at the prestigious venue, which has hosted premieres of several leading Hollywood films, according to news agency reports.

Produced by Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with his company DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, ‘Ramayana’ is being positioned as one of the most ambitious Indian film productions, with the reported combined budget for its two instalments exceeding Rs. 4,000 crore.

At the premiere, Yash spoke about the cultural significance of the epic and its enduring place in India’s storytelling tradition, which has carried the tale across generations for centuries.

“In our country, we just don’t tell the story, we remember it, and we pass it down for generations to come and this story has travelled for thousands of years,” Yash said.

Ahead of the world premiere, Malhotra had told PTI that showcasing the epic to a global audience on such a grand scale marked a significant moment for Indian cinema.

Malhotra said the screening in the US was intended not only to generate curiosity about the film but also to establish its credibility on the international stage.

“This is a massive spectacle coming out of India about one of the greatest epics and a Hollywood studio that’s distributing it…It has several firsts attached to its name, and I believe the visibility and centre stage we hope to achieve for ‘Ramayana’ and Indian cinema go hand in hand,” he said.

The first part of ‘Ramayana’ is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 5 ahead of Diwali, while the second instalment is expected to arrive during Diwali 2027.

The film will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with an IMAX release also planned.

Sony Pictures will handle international distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions will distribute the film in the Hindi-speaking market.

The ensemble cast also includes Sunny Deol, Anupam Kher, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Arun Govil, Indira Krishnan and Lara Dutta.