Director Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana has confirmed its complete cast, with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana leading the ensemble. The film, produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, is set for a global release on November 6, 2026, with a second part scheduled for Diwali 2027.
The first part is officially titled ‘Ramayana: Rise of a Legend’ and has been filmed for IMAX. Both parts together carry a reported budget of approximately $500 million, making it the most expensive Indian film franchise ever mounted.
Central Cast
Ranbir Kapoor headlines the film as Lord Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. He will also portray Lord Parshuram, the warrior sage and sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, in a dual role. Sai Pallavi stars as Sita, the princess of Mithila, while Kannada superstar Yash takes on the role of Ravana, the king of Lanka. Yash also serves as a co-producer on the project.
Ravie Dubey plays Lakshmana, Lord Rama’s devoted younger brother. Sunny Deol appears as Lord Hanuman. According to reports, Deol’s Hanuman is introduced towards the end of Part 1, setting up a major cliffhanger for the sequel.
Ayodhya Royal Family
Arun Govil, who famously portrayed Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar’s 1987 television series Ramayan, returns to the epic as King Dasharatha, the father of Rama. Lara Dutta plays Queen Kaikeyi, whose two wishes alter the course of Rama’s destiny. Indira Krishnan essays Queen Kaushalya, Rama’s mother, and Sonal Jha portrays Queen Sumitra, the mother of Lakshmana and Shatrughna. Sheeba Chaddha plays Manthara, Kaikeyi’s attendant whose counsel sets the exile in motion.
Adinath Kothare plays Bharata, and Nitish Sharma portrays Shatrughna. The roles of Rama’s sisters-in-law include Surbhi Das as Shrutakirti. The first song, ‘Jai Jai Ram’, released on Ganesh Chaturthi 2026, unveiled several of these characters.
Lanka Royal Family
Kajal Aggarwal plays Mandodari, Ravana’s wife. Rakul Preet Singh essays Surpanakha, Ravana’s sister whose encounter with Rama and Lakshmana triggers the epic’s central conflict. Vivek Oberoi appears as Vidyutjihva, Surpanakha’s husband, in an unrecognisable transformation. Shobana plays Kaikesi, Ravana’s mother.
Faisal Malik portrays Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s powerful brother, while Harish Uthaman essays Vibhishana, the righteous brother who chooses dharma over blood. Saurabh Sachdeva plays Mareech, the demon whose actions set Sita’s abduction in motion.
Sages and Divine Figures
Anupam Kher voices Jatayu, the legendary vulture king who battles Ravana while attempting to rescue Sita. Kunal Kapoor plays Lord Indra, the king of the gods. Ajinkya Deo portrays Sage Vishwamitra, Rama’s mentor, while Shishir Sharma essays Sage Vashishtha. Mukesh Tiwari plays Sage Agastya. Mohit Raina is set to reprise his role as Lord Shiva.
Suhail Nayyar plays Sugriva, the Vanara king and ally of Rama. The ensemble also includes Raghav Juyal as Meghnad and additional supporting cast members.
Production and Release
The film’s score is composed by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, marking their first collaboration. The first song, ‘Jai Jai Ram’, was sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal. The international creative team includes action directors Terry Notary and Guy Norris and production designers Ramsey Avery and Ravi Bansal.
Ramayana Part 1 will release worldwide on November 6, 2026, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, with a premium English-language version for international markets. Sony Pictures handles global distribution, while Dharma Productions distributes the film in India. Part 2 is scheduled for Diwali 2027.