Sunny Deol praises Ramayana Part 1 in his loudest endorsement yet. In an Instagram video posted on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the 69-year-old actor said the film is “not less than any Hollywood film” and added “but I would say it is better than them.” He urged every Indian to watch it, praising the scale, the visual effects, and the way the film transports viewers back in time.
The praise matters because Deol is not just a fan of the film. He plays Lord Hanuman in it, appearing in a surprise post-credit scene that has become the biggest talking point of the movie since its worldwide release on November 5. His voice is heard before his full appearance is revealed, and the closing moments set up his much bigger role in the second part of the film, which is scheduled for 2028.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | Sunny Deol, 69, veteran Bollywood actor |
| What he said | Ramayana is “better than any Hollywood film” |
| Where he said it | Instagram video, Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| His role | Lord Hanuman, revealed in the post-credit scene |
| Film | Ramayana Part 1, also called Ramayana: Rise of a Legend |
| Director | Nitesh Tiwari |
| Released | November 5, 2026, worldwide |
| Stars | Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana |
| Also starring | Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Sunny Deol as Hanuman |
| Part 2 | Scheduled for Diwali 2028 |
| Day 1 box office | Rs 64.85 crore net, Rs 77.50 crore gross |
Sunny Deol Praises Ramayana: What He Actually Said
Deol filmed the video shortly after watching the film himself, and his excitement is obvious in it. “I just watched Ramayana. I really, really liked it. I urge each and every Hindustani to watch it,” he said. “This film is not less than any Hollywood film. But I would say it is better than them. The special effects truly transport you to that time. It is my request to all of you and tell you to go and watch it.”
The words “better than them” are the line everyone is quoting. It is a bold claim for a Bollywood film, and it is the kind of line that travels fast on social media. But Deol was not speaking as an outsider. He is part of the film, and he had just seen the finished product for the first time on a big screen, the way audiences are seeing it now.
His appeal to “each and every Hindustani” was also deliberate. Ramayana is not a regional film or a niche release. It is one of the biggest Indian films ever made, a two-part retelling of the ancient epic, and Deol was asking the whole country to turn up for it. The video was posted on Saturday, two days after the release, at the point when word of mouth starts to decide whether a big film becomes a phenomenon or fades.
The Hanuman Reveal Everyone Is Talking About
The post-credit scene is the reason Deol’s name is trending. The film keeps his full appearance under wraps until the very end. Audiences sit through the credits and are rewarded with the first look at Deol as Lord Hanuman, shown flying with his signature gada, the mace, as a powerful musical backdrop plays.
The music in the scene is the Hanuman Chalisa, performed by Diljit Dosanjh, Sukhwinder Singh, Mohit Chauhan, Kailash Kher, and Anirudh Ravichander. It is a striking choice, and it turns a short scene into a moment that audiences are describing as the highlight of the film. The reveal is brief, but it does a lot of work. It introduces Hanuman, it promises a bigger role in the second part, and it gives the film a closing surge that sends people out of the theater talking.
The production kept Deol’s appearance secret on purpose. There was no full look at Hanuman in the trailers, and no poster showing the character. The only hint was his voice, heard before the visual reveal. That secrecy is why the scene landed so hard. Audiences did not know it was coming, and the surprise made it memorable.
Hanuman’s arrival is also an important marker for the next part of the story. The second installment, scheduled for Diwali 2028, will give Deol a much larger role, and the post-credit scene is the bridge that gets audiences there. For now, the reveal is enough. It has become the most discussed scene in the film.
For the numbers behind the opening, read our report on Ramayana Day 1 final box office.
The Film So Far
Ramayana Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra and Yash, released in theaters worldwide on November 5, 2026. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana, with Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Hanuman. Tiwari co-wrote the screenplay with Shridhar Raghavan.
The first installment covers the backstory of Ravana and his abduction of Sita, following a fight with Jatayu, the great bird voiced by Anupam Kher. It is the opening chapter of a two-part retelling of the ancient Indian epic, and it is built on a scale that Indian cinema has rarely attempted. The visual effects, the sets, and the size of the production are all part of the pitch, and Deol’s praise for the effects is aimed squarely at that ambition.
The box office has matched the ambition. The film took Rs 64.85 crore net on its first day in India, with a gross of Rs 77.50 crore, and advance bookings had already crossed Rs 42.96 crore before release, putting it among the top two Bollywood advance bookings of all time. The opening has been described as roaring, and the film is running strongly in theaters now.
For more on what comes next, read our report on Ramayana Part 2 confirmed for Diwali 2028.
A Week of Viral Moments
Deol’s video is the latest in a run of viral moments around the film. At the special screening in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 3, actor Ravi Dubey won praise online after a video showed him touching Sunny Deol’s feet on the red carpet as a mark of respect. The clip spread quickly, with viewers praising Dubey’s humility and the warmth between the two actors. Dubey plays Lakshman in the film, and he and his wife Sargun Mehta were among the many stars at the screening.
The screening itself was a major event, with Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Vivek Oberoi, and Kunal Kapoor among those in attendance. The film had already built enormous anticipation before release, and the premiere added to it. The post-credit reveal, kept secret until opening day, was the payoff.
There has also been a separate story around Deol’s other film, Suryaa, which is scheduled for release on November 20. Doctors’ groups have objected to its teaser, which shows the lead character assaulting doctors inside a hospital, and the Delhi High Court has issued notice on a plea seeking removal of the teaser. That is a different film and a different argument, and it has nothing to do with Ramayana. But it is a reminder that Deol is having a very busy month, with two major releases landing within weeks of each other.
Why the Praise Matters
Celebrity praise for a film is common, and it is usually easy to ignore. This is different, for two reasons. First, Deol is in the film, and he is praising the finished product he has just seen, not a trailer or a script. Second, the line he chose, “better than any Hollywood film,” is a direct challenge to the idea that only Hollywood can make spectacle at this scale. It is the kind of claim that invites argument, and argument is good for a film’s opening weeks.
The claim also fits the film’s ambition. Ramayana is not trying to be a small, intimate retelling. It is trying to be the biggest Indian film ever made, with effects and scale to match any Hollywood production. Deol’s words are the simplest version of that pitch, delivered by a man who has been a star for four decades and who knows what a big screen can do.
Whether audiences agree is a matter of taste, and the film will be argued about for months. But the opening numbers say the audience is there. A Rs 64.85 crore net opening day, record advance bookings, and a post-credit scene that everyone is talking about add up to a release that is working. Deol’s video is the cherry on top, a star telling the country to go and see the film he is proud to be part of.
Also from the Ramayana release: Ramayana releases today, with Diljit Dosanjh singing the Hanuman Chalisa.
FAQs
What did Sunny Deol say about Ramayana?
In an Instagram video on Saturday, November 7, 2026, Sunny Deol said Ramayana Part 1 is “not less than any Hollywood film” and “better than them.” He urged every Indian to watch it and praised the special effects.
Who does Sunny Deol play in Ramayana?
Sunny Deol plays Lord Hanuman. He appears in a surprise post-credit scene at the end of Ramayana Part 1, shown flying with his gada as the Hanuman Chalisa plays. His role will be much bigger in Part 2.
When did Ramayana Part 1 release?
Ramayana Part 1 released in theaters worldwide on November 5, 2026. It is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash as Ravana.
When is Ramayana Part 2 coming out?
Ramayana Part 2 is scheduled for Diwali 2028. Sunny Deol’s Hanuman will have an expanded role in the second installment.
Sources
- Box Office Worldwide, Sunny Deol Hails Ramayana After Release, Says Ranbir Kapoor Starrer Is Better Than Any Hollywood Film: https://boxofficeworldwide.com/movies-latest-news/sunny-deol-hails-ramayana-better-than-any-hollywood-film/
- Zoom TV, Sunny Deol Praises Ramayana Part 1 Following Surprise Post-Credit Reveal: https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/bollywood/sunny-deol-reviews-ramayana-part-1-after-hanuman-reveal-article-156480495
- Hungama Express, Sunny Deol heaps praise on ‘Ramayana Part 1’ with special appeal to Hindustanis: https://www.hungamaexpress.com/news/55706-sunny-deol-heaps-praise-on-ramayana-part-1-with-special-appeal-to-hindustanis
Final Thoughts
Sunny Deol praises Ramayana as “better than any Hollywood film” — the kind of line that only works when the person saying it believes it. He watched the film, he saw his own Hanuman reveal land with audiences, and he came out and said it plainly. “I really, really liked it” is not a polished press line. It is a man who enjoyed a movie and wanted everyone to know.
The film has earned that kind of enthusiasm. A Rs 64.85 crore net opening day, record advance bookings, and a post-credit scene that has become the talk of the release all point the same way. Ramayana Part 1 is a genuine event, and Deol’s video is part of why it feels like one.
Part 2 arrives in 2028, and Hanuman will be at the center of it. Until then, the first part is in theaters now, and its biggest star just told the country to go and watch it. That is an endorsement no marketing budget can buy.
