Ramayana has arrived in cinemas today, Thursday, November 5, 2026, and the biggest surprise of release day is musical. Diljit Dosanjh has sung the Hanuman Chalisa for the film, and his voice plays over the much awaited entry of Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman near the end of the first part. Bollywood Hungama reported the news on the morning of release, confirming that the popular singer and actor lent his voice to the devotional hymn for the sequence that closes the film on a high.
The film is the first part of a two part retelling of the Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Yash as Ravana. Advance bookings were already strong before the first shows, with about 330,000 tickets sold across the top three national multiplex chains, PVR INOX and Cinepolis, by November 4, and trade watchers expecting the figure to close near 400,000. The opening day is expected to bring in around Rs 60 crore, a strong start for a mid week release in the pre Diwali period.
Quick Facts
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Release date | Thursday, November 5, 2026, in cinemas |
| Hanuman Chalisa singer | Diljit Dosanjh, with Kailash Kher, Anirudh Ravichander, Sukhwinder Singh and Mohit Chauhan |
| Hanuman entry | Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, appears towards the end of Part 1 |
| Lead cast | Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman, Yash as Ravana |
| Director | Nitesh Tiwari, director of Dangal (2016) |
| Producers | Namit Malhotra, Prime Focus Studios and DNEG, with Yash, Monster Mind Creations |
| Advance tickets | About 330,000 across PVR INOX and Cinepolis by November 4, expected near 400,000 |
| Expected opening day | Around Rs 60 crore on Thursday |
| Sequel release | Diwali 2028 |
| Lara Dutta role | Mata Kaikeyi |
Why the Diljit Dosanjh News Matters
The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most loved devotional hymns in India, and placing it at Sunny Deol’s entry gives the moment a weight that a normal background score could not match. Diljit Dosanjh is one of the biggest names in Punjabi music and a popular actor as well, so his voice brings both a spiritual feel and star power to the sequence. Bollywood Hungama reported that the makers have woven the rendition into the entry scene in a way that adds grandeur and emotional impact, rather than using it as a short background cue.
Diljit is not the only voice on the track. Kailash Kher, Anirudh Ravichander, Sukhwinder Singh and Mohit Chauhan also sing on it, which makes it a joint effort by five well known voices. That choice fits the scale of the film. The first part of Ramayana ends with Hanuman’s entry, and the makers have kept that moment under wraps, revealing only that Sunny Deol has a limited role in this instalment and makes his grand appearance only towards the end.
Sunny Deol as Hanuman and the End of Part 1
Sunny Deol’s casting as Lord Hanuman was one of the most talked about parts of the film long before release. Bollywood Hungama had reported earlier that the first part ends on a thrilling note with his entry, and that his role in this instalment is limited by design. The full weight of the character is expected to come in the sequel, which is scheduled for Diwali 2028.
That structure explains why the Hanuman Chalisa matters so much here. The hymn is not a side detail. It is the sound of the film’s closing moment, the last thing audiences carry out of the cinema, and the bridge to the second part. For fans who have waited years for this film, the combination of Deol on screen and the Chalisa in the background is the scene the whole first part builds towards.
Advance Booking and the Opening Day Picture
The advance booking numbers show how big this release is. About 330,000 tickets had been sold across PVR INOX and Cinepolis by November 4, and the total was expected to reach around the 400,000 mark by the end of the day. Trade watchers expect an opening of around Rs 60 crore on Thursday, which is strong for a film that opened on a working day in the pre Diwali period.
The mid week release was a deliberate choice. Producer Namit Malhotra decided to align the Indian release with the international rollout, even though a conventional Friday release could have boosted advance sales by at least 10 percent, according to trade estimates. The gamble is that a global day and date release matters more than the extra Friday sales, and the early numbers suggest the audience showed up anyway. Some in the trade are even talking about a lifetime total of Rs 2,000 crore, a figure that should be treated as trade talk for now, not a confirmed result.
The Cast, the Director and the Scale of the Film
Ramayana stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita, with Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Yash as Ravana. Lara Dutta plays Mata Kaikeyi, a role she has described in social media posts as one of the most misunderstood women in the epic. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, best known for Dangal in 2016, and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and DNEG, the eight time Oscar winning visual effects studio, in association with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations.
The scale is the point. This is a two part film, with the second part already dated for Diwali 2028, and the first part is built to set up a world that the sequel will expand. That is also why the film has been covered so heavily for months, from its casting to its visual effects to its music. Readers who want more on the film’s long road to release can read our earlier piece on Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and the AI cinema debate around Ramayana, and for another big Indian film on the way, see Kartik Aaryan reuniting with Kabir Khan for Ladaku.
What Audiences Are Watching For
Three things will decide how the first weekend is remembered. The first is the opening day number, with Rs 60 crore as the early expectation. The second is the word of mouth on the Hanuman entry and the Diljit Dosanjh Chalisa, which is the scene most likely to be talked about on the way out of the cinema. The third is whether the film holds through the weekend and into Diwali, when family audiences usually turn out in large numbers.
Rishab Shetty, the actor and filmmaker, praised the film’s grand vision on release day, calling it a proud moment for Indian cinema. That kind of praise from inside the industry is common on release day, but the real test is the audience. If the advance booking trend holds and the Hanuman sequence lands the way the makers hope, Ramayana will start its run as one of the biggest Indian releases of the year, with a sequel already waiting in 2028.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sings the Hanuman Chalisa in Ramayana?
Diljit Dosanjh sings the Hanuman Chalisa in Ramayana. Kailash Kher, Anirudh Ravichander, Sukhwinder Singh and Mohit Chauhan also sing on the track, which plays over Sunny Deol’s entry as Lord Hanuman.
When did Ramayana release in cinemas?
Ramayana Part 1 released in cinemas on Thursday, November 5, 2026. The sequel is scheduled to release on Diwali 2028.
Who plays Hanuman in Ramayana?
Sunny Deol plays Lord Hanuman. He has a limited role in the first part and makes his grand appearance towards the end of the film.
How strong were the advance bookings for Ramayana?
About 330,000 tickets were sold across PVR INOX and Cinepolis by November 4, with the total expected to reach around 400,000. The opening day is expected to bring in around Rs 60 crore.
Sources
Bollywood Hungama reported the Diljit Dosanjh Hanuman Chalisa news, the Sunny Deol entry, the advance booking figures, the expected Rs 60 crore opening, the cast and the Diwali 2028 sequel date. Bollywood Hungama also reported the trade talk of a possible Rs 2,000 crore lifetime total and Rishab Shetty’s praise for the film’s vision. Nation Press reported Lara Dutta’s note about playing Mata Kaikeyi ahead of the November 5 release.
Final Thoughts
Ramayana opened today with strong advance sales, a star cast and a sequel already dated, but the story of release day is the music. Diljit Dosanjh singing the Hanuman Chalisa over Sunny Deol’s entry as Hanuman is the kind of surprise that turns a closing scene into the moment everyone talks about. If the opening day numbers match the booking trend, the film starts its run as one of the biggest releases of the year. The real measure will be the weekend and the Diwali holidays, when the film’s word of mouth, and that final sequence, will decide how far it goes.
Read more on the site: Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and the AI cinema debate around Ramayana and Shraddha Kapoor on turning down films after Stree 2.
