Ramayana advance booking: Ranbir eyes biggest opener, but can he beat Animal?

Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana: Part 1 has crossed Rs 20 crore in worldwide advance bookings ahead of its November 5 release. The momentum puts the mythological epic in contention to challenge Animal's opening-day record.

In Short

• Ramayana targets Ranbir Kapoor's biggest worldwide opening
• Advance bookings stand at Rs 20 crore globally
• India's advance gross crosses Rs 9.22 crore with premium formats

Ranbir Kapoor’s Ramayana: Part 1 is eyeing the biggest worldwide opening of the actor’s career, with the Nitesh Tiwari-directed mythological epic tracking ahead of its November 5 theatrical release. The film is building on strong advance bookings across domestic and overseas markets, and could challenge the worldwide opening-day record set by his 2023 film Animal. With paid previews scheduled for November 4, the film has an additional opportunity to boost its opening numbers before it hits theatres.

According to trade tracker Sacnilk, Ramayana’s worldwide advance-booking gross has reached $2.15 million (Rs 20 crore approximately), combining its preview screenings and opening-day reservations. The film has generated more than $550,000 from North American previews on November 4, while its November 5 opening-day bookings have crossed $1.60 million worldwide.

The film’s India advance gross for November 5 has crossed $1.20 million, while overseas markets have contributed more than $400,000 for the same day. These figures indicate that the film is drawing interest across domestic and international markets, even before its theatrical release.

Ramayana’s domestic bookings gather momentum

In India, Ramayana has recorded an advance gross of Rs 9.22 crore, with 1.65 lakh tickets sold around 10 days before its release. The average ticket price stands at Rs 559, reflecting the demand for premium-format screenings, including IMAX 3D.

The average ticket price is significantly higher than that of Ranbir’s previous releases. Premium formats are contributing to the elevated average, with IMAX 3D screenings accounting for a substantial share of the advance gross.

However, the domestic advance-booking figures and the worldwide total represent different booking windows. The Rs 9.22 crore figure reflects India’s bookings at an earlier point, while the $2.15 million worldwide total includes the more recent advance-booking update across preview and opening-day screenings.

Can Ramayana beat Animal’s opening record?

The biggest benchmark for Ramayana is Animal, which remains Ranbir Kapoor’s career-best opener until now. The 2023 film, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, recorded a worldwide opening-day gross of Rs 116 crore, including Rs 76.10 crore from India and Rs 39.90 crore from overseas markets. With almost a week to go, the numbers indicate that Ramayana pre-sales show all the indications to turn into Ranbir Kapoor's biggest career opener.

Ramayana has the advantage of a large-scale mythological narrative and a star-studded cast, with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Yash as Raavan and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Its wider family appeal and premium-format screenings could help it attract a larger audience base.

The film is scheduled to release on November 5, with paid previews on November 4. The additional preview screenings could provide an early boost to its box-office numbers, while the Diwali period is expected to support its theatrical run.

The current advance-booking figures suggest that Ramayana is building towards a major opening. However, whether it can surpass Animal’s worldwide opening-day record will depend on the final pace of bookings, show additions and audience response once the film hits theatres.

For now, Ramayana has crossed an important pre-release milestone, with its worldwide advance gross moving beyond Rs 20 crore. With more days left for bookings to accelerate, the film is firmly in contention for Ranbir Kapoor’s biggest worldwide opening.

- Ends