New Delhi, Nov 5: One of the most ambitious projects in Indian cinema, Nitesh Tiwari's mythological epic Ramayana Part 1, has hit theatres worldwide on November 5. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash in lead roles, the film has been mounted on a reported budget of ₹1,600 crore, making it the most expensive Indian film ever made.

Backed by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios, the film brings together a star-studded Indian cast and an international technical crew. Paid preview shows were held in the United States and Canada on November 4, ahead of its global theatrical release.

The film is an adaptation of sage Valmiki's epic Ramayana and also draws inspiration from other versions of the story, including Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the screenplay has been written by Tiwari and Shridhar Raghavan.

Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, while Yash appears as Ravana. The ensemble cast also includes Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kothare, Kajal Aggarwal and Anupam Kher.

Sunny Deol is also part of the two-film franchise as Lord Hanuman, although his character is reportedly expected to appear in the second instalment.

The film's music has brought together two internationally acclaimed composers, Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman, marking their first collaboration. The project also features several Hollywood technicians, with visual effects handled by DNEG, the visual effects studio led by Namit Malhotra and an eight-time Oscar winner.

The film has also generated considerable interest ahead of its release. Its advance bookings reportedly crossed ₹150 crore, with opening-day bookings alone accounting for more than ₹80 crore. It has been released across an estimated 70,000 screens worldwide.

Sony Pictures is handling the film's global distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions is distributing it in the Hindi-speaking market.

Produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash, Ramayana is planned as a two-part cinematic saga. The first instalment marks the beginning of an ambitious retelling of the ancient Indian epic, with the second part expected to continue the story.

With its reported record-breaking budget, prominent cast and international technical collaboration, Ramayana is among the biggest cinematic ventures in Indian film history.