Will Ramayana Surpass Animal’s Opening Record?

Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming mythological epic, Ramayana: Part One, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is scheduled to hit theatres on November 5, with high expectations in India and overseas markets. The film has reportedly crossed $2 million in worldwide advance bookings, raising hopes for a strong opening. Sony Pictures is handling its overseas distribution, and the scale of the production, combined with growing international interest, has increased expectations surrounding its opening weekend. However, the film faces a major benchmark: the overseas opening record set by Ranbir’s 2023 blockbuster Animal.

Animal collected approximately $13.19 million in overseas markets during its opening weekend in 2023, securing a place among the biggest overseas openings for a Hindi film at the time. It surpassed Padmaavat, which earned around $12 million overseas during its opening weekend, and ranked behind films such as Pathaan, Jawan and Sultan. The film also reportedly earned around ₹39.90 crore overseas on its opening day. For Ramayana: Part One, North America is expected to be a crucial market. Advance-booking trends, demand for premium-format screenings and audience reactions after the first shows will play an important role in determining its box-office performance. Although early booking figures suggest strong interest, surpassing Animal’s record will depend on whether that interest translates into substantial ticket sales after release.