With just days to go before its theatrical release, ‘Ramayana: Part One’ is already making a strong impression at the box office. The Ranbir Kapoor and Yash-starrer has crossed Rs 100 crore in worldwide advance bookings for its opening weekend, while its growing popularity in North America has brought another major benchmark within reach.

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Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, the film has been witnessing a steady rise in ticket sales across India and overseas markets. Its North American paid-preview bookings, in particular, have become a major talking point, with the film now closing in on the estimated premiere-ticket record associated with ‘Dhurandhar 2’.

According to trade website Sacnilk, domestic advance bookings have crossed Rs 72 crore, including blocked seats, while overseas pre-sales have contributed more than Rs 40 crore. Together, the figures have pushed the worldwide opening-weekend advance gross beyond the Rs 100 crore mark.

‘Ramayana’ overtakes seven major films in US advance bookings

North America has emerged as one of the biggest markets to watch for ‘Ramayana’ ahead of its release. The film has reportedly sold more than 51,000 tickets for its November 4 paid previews in the US.

In doing so, it has moved past the estimated premiere-ticket benchmarks of several major Indian blockbusters, including ‘Animal’, ‘Jawan’, ‘Pushpa 2’, ‘Pathaan’, ‘RRR’, ‘Baahubali 2’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’.

The next big target is ‘Dhurandhar 2’, which reportedly sold around 52,000 tickets for its premiere screenings. The film also recorded an estimated $14 million (approximately Rs 132 crore) during its five-day North American opening, including previews.

With the gap between the reported ticket sales of the two films narrowing, the final phase of advance bookings could make things interesting.

Can ‘Ramayana’ challenge ‘Dhurandhar 2’ in North America?

Trade estimates suggest that ‘Ramayana’ could be heading towards a five-day North American opening of $13 million to $14 million. Some projections also point to the possibility of a $20 million-plus overseas opening weekend if the remaining international markets perform strongly.

However, matching the reported premiere-ticket sales of ‘Dhurandhar 2’ does not automatically mean surpassing its opening-weekend collection. Ticket prices, attendance across different days and the response to the film after its previews will all influence the final numbers.

Reports indicate that more than 1.40 lakh tickets have already been sold across the November 4-8 period in the US. Around 37 per cent of these bookings are concentrated on the preview night, with Thursday's opening day also seeing strong demand.

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The distribution of sales suggests that audiences are particularly keen to catch the film during its initial screenings. Sustaining that interest through the weekend, however, will be equally important.

How are ‘Ramayana’ advance bookings progressing worldwide?

The film's domestic and international pre-sales have both contributed to its strong opening-weekend numbers.

India has recorded more than Rs 72 crore in advance gross, including blocked seats, while overseas markets have added over Rs 40 crore. North America is among the major contributors, with US paid-preview sales already crossing $1.20 million and total pre-sales for the opening period reportedly reaching around $3 million.

Australia and the United Kingdom are also contributing to the film's overseas advance bookings.

Another notable development is the growing demand for Saturday screenings. As more shows become available, bookings are spreading beyond the opening day, giving the film an opportunity to build momentum across the extended weekend.

The final advance-booking figures will depend on the addition of more screens, participation from single-screen theatres and demand for premium formats.

All about ‘Ramayana: Part One’

Starring Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, ‘Ramayana: Part One’ features an ensemble cast that includes Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey, Lara Dutta, Arun Govil and Vivek Oberoi.

The first instalment of the planned two-part adaptation is scheduled to arrive in theatres on November 5, with the second part expected in 2027.

The reported budget of around Rs 4,000 crore for the two films has placed the project among the most ambitious productions in Indian cinema. Naturally, its box-office prospects have attracted considerable attention even before its theatrical release.

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Crossing Rs 100 crore in worldwide advance bookings is a significant pre-release milestone. The next question is whether the film can convert that early interest into a massive opening and sustain it through audience word of mouth.

With the reported North American premiere-ticket benchmark of ‘Dhurandhar 2’ almost within reach, all eyes are now on the final booking figures ahead of ‘Ramayana: Part One’.