Our Bureau
Chennai
An exclusive 15-minute preview of the much-awaited Ramayana has impressed cinema exhibitors at Big Cine Expo 2026 in Chennai, with attendees praising its ambitious visual effects and comparing its scale with major Hollywood productions such as The Lord of the Rings.
The preview was screened on August 18, the opening day of the two-day Big Cine Expo, an industry event that brings together theatre owners, cinema technology companies and other professionals from the exhibition sector. The footage shown to exhibitors had not been released publicly, and attendees were reportedly prohibited from recording it.
According to an exhibitor who attended the presentation, the footage featured several previously unseen creatures, including a one-eyed daitya and a bear-like creature. The visual effects and overall scale reportedly left exhibitors impressed, with one attendee describing the film as a potential “global Indian film” and praising its vision and technical execution.
The presentation also included a making-of segment featuring comments from producer Namit Malhotra about the scale of the project. It concluded with the trailer for Ramayana: The Introduction, further building anticipation among industry members.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and features Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol and other prominent actors. The first part is scheduled for theatrical release on Diwali 2026, on November 8, while the second part is planned for Diwali 2027.
With the exclusive preview generating strong reactions from exhibitors, expectations surrounding the film have increased ahead of its theatrical release.