Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’ has made a powerful mark at the ticket window in its first week. It has found huge support not just in India but also in several Asian countries where the epic is deeply woven into local culture and heritage. The Ranbir Kapoor and Yash starrer is now rewriting records for Indian cinema in both expected and surprising markets.
A slow start and a big jump in India
By the standards of a film this large, the opening was fairly quiet. The post-Diwali holidays changed everything, and the film crossed Rs 1000 crore worldwide within eight days. India was always expected to deliver, but the biggest surprises have come from overseas Asian territories with strong ties to the story.
Why does the epic travel so well
The tale began in India, where Valmiki’s version is the best known and one of the earliest to grow out of oral storytelling. Around the world, nearly 300 versions exist, including regional retellings in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. In Hindu-majority Nepal, Valmiki’s text and Tulsidas’ ‘Ramcharitmanas’ are both widely read. In every one of these countries, the new adaptation has recorded the best start ever seen for an Indian film.
Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia lead the way
The film premiered in Indonesia on November 11, six days after its global release. Local trackers say it collected USD 100K (just under Rs 1 crore) from the premiere alone, the highest start for an Indian film there. The story has lived in Indonesia for more than 1,900 years through retellings such as ‘Kakawin Ramayana’, the Balinese ‘Ramakavaca’ and ‘Hikayat Seri Rama’.Thailand shares a similar bond. A local version called ‘Ramakien’ was compiled by King Rama I, and the new film has collected just under USD 1 million (Rs 9 crore) in a week, among the best results ever for an Indian release there.In Cambodia, the epic is known as ‘Reamker’ and is part of the school syllabus. The country is also home to the world’s largest Vishnu temple. That connection helped the film earn USD 150K over its opening weekend, once again the best for an Indian title. Next door in Malaysia, ‘Ramayana Part One’ has pulled in USD 900K (Rs 8 crore) in under a week.
Vietnam delivers the biggest surprise
These are countries where Indian films usually do well. Vietnam is a different story. It has never been a major market for Indian cinema, and most releases there struggle to cross USD 20K (Rs 15-18 lakh). ‘Ramayana’ passed that figure on day one and has since collected USD 350K (Rs 3 crore).The cultural link runs deep. Vietnam was ruled by the Champa dynasty for about 1,500 years, and the rulers followed Hinduism and Buddhism. As a result, the country has several Hindu temples, including a 1,300-year-old shrine dedicated to Sage Valmiki, the traditional author of the epic. Students in Vietnamese high schools and universities study the Ramayana as part of world literature, not as a religious text.
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Historic run in Nepal
Big Indian films routinely rank among the top earners in Nepal and often beat local productions. Even so, this run stands out. The film has collected NPR 12.80 crore (Rs 8 crore) in its extended opening week. That makes it the sixth-highest-grossing Indian film in the country, already ahead of the lifetime totals of ‘RRR’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’. It is expected to overtake the all-time record held by ‘Baahubali 2’, which stands at NPR 25.20 crore, in the coming week.
Global numbers and what comes next
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, ‘Ramayana’ is the first part of a two-film series. It is the most expensive Indian film ever made. In eight days, it has earned Rs 564 crore net in India and more than USD 38 million overseas.Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi is Sita, Yash plays Ravana, and Ravie Dubey appears as Lakshman. The second part is scheduled for release on Diwali 2028.
