Ramayana earns Rs 155 crore worldwide on opening day

Ramayana: Rise of a Legend opened in cinemas worldwide on 5 November, and early box office figures show a strong start. One report said the film earned about Rs 155 crore in worldwide gross collections on its first day. Another put the figure at Rs 126.7 crore gross, which includes Rs 76.7 crore from India and Rs 50 crore from overseas markets.

The two reports differ on the numbers. One put the Indian net collection at Rs 64.85 crore on day one. Another gave Rs 65 crore. The gap between the worldwide figures is wide, and no single official total has been published in the sources.

The Hindi version has done better than the Kannada version, one report said. The Kannada release has not matched expectations, it added. The same report said the film's total net collection in India had reached Rs 73.40 crore by the second day.

Cast and crew

Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi plays Sita, and Yash plays Ravana. Sunny Deol plays Hanuman, and Arun Govil plays Raja Dashrath. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, and Namit Malhotra and Yash are among its backers. Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman composed the music.

The film is planned as a two-part franchise with a combined budget of Rs 4,000 crore, one report said. That makes it one of the most expensive Indian films reported so far, and its returns will be watched closely by the industry.

For Indian moviegoers, the figures suggest the film is drawing large crowds in both Hindi and regional markets. Viewers in cities outside the main Hindi belt may find the Kannada and other regional versions harder to catch on the big screen, since those releases have had a weaker start.

The weekend will be the next test. Reports expect collections to grow if positive reviews keep people in cinemas. Whether the film holds its numbers into the following week is not yet known, and no official studio statement on final totals has been published.