Growing up around performers, storytelling was always central to Emma's life. Add in a nerdy older brother who introduced her to Marvel at far too young an age, and her love for entertainment led her to pursue a Journalism degree at Indiana University, where she discovered her passion for entertainment reporting. She spent nearly one year in Los Angeles covering industry stories and fully immersing herself in the world of entertainment media.
Sony's new fantasy epic is winning over audiences following its theatrical debut.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is an Indian fantasy adventure based on the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. The movie stars Ranbir Kapoor as Prince Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, with Sunny Deol portraying Hanuman. Produced by Namit Malhotra and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the film follows Ram and Sita as their marriage and eventual exile set the stage for a larger conflict involving love, duty, and destiny.
Per Rotten Tomatoes, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has earned a 90% verified audience score from more than 250 ratings. The fantasy epic also holds a 76% critics' score from 46 reviews, putting its audience reception 14 percentage points above its critical reception. While both scores are positive, moviegoers have responded more enthusiastically to the film than critics so far.
The positive audience reception also came alongside an impressive opening weekend box office debut. Sony Pictures Entertainment projects Ramayana: Rise of a Legend to earn $7.3 million during its three-day domestic opening weekend and $10.8 million across its four-day Thursday-to-Sunday opening. The movie opened on 1,433 screens, marking the widest North American theatrical release for an Indian film. Its projected three-day debut also places it among the highest-grossing domestic openings for an Indian movie.
The movie's strong early reception is particularly notable given its ambitious production and growing international reach. Following the success of some of the best Indian movies, including RRR and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend represents another major attempt to bring Indian cinema to wider global audiences. Here's how its Rotten Tomatoes audience score compares to other major Indian blockbusters:
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The movie also sets up a second installment, with Ramayana's ending teasing a larger confrontation between Rama and Ravana. Although Part 2 was previously targeting a 2027 release, producer Namit Malhotra has since indicated that it is now planned for 2028.
Although the film has received generally positive reviews, critics have raised concerns about its storytelling. In ScreenRant's review of 2026's Ramayana, the movie received a 7 out of 10, with praise for its visual spectacle and action sequences but criticism of its lack of character depth. The review described the film as an impressive cinematic achievement, although its emphasis on spectacle occasionally comes at the expense of emotional storytelling.
The franchise is also expected to continue with a second installment. Although the sequel was previously targeting a 2027 release, producer Namit Malhotra has since indicated that it is now planned for 2028. The additional time will allow the filmmakers to complete the adaptation and its English-language version.
With its strong early audience reception and promising box office debut, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has made an encouraging start to its theatrical run. However, its Rotten Tomatoes scores could still fluctuate as additional reviews and verified ratings arrive.
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is now playing in theaters.
Ramayana is the first part of an epic duology that brings the ancient Indian epic to the big screen. This film adaptation explores the legendary tale of Prince Rama, his quest to rescue his wife Sita, and the ensuing battle against the demon king Ravana.
