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Ramayana review: 8.3/10, Must Watch

Hindi · Bollywood · Released 05 Nov 2026

GenXT score: 8.3/10 · Verdict: Must Watch — based on 15 rated YouTube reviews (13 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative). The score is the average of their ratings.

How the verdict works

  • Must Watch: 70% or more of reviewers positive
  • Good Watch: under 70% positive, but positive is the largest group
  • One-Time Watch: mixed is the largest group, or no group leads
  • Wait for OTT: negative is the largest group, but half or fewer
  • Skip: negative is the largest group and more than half

Everyone walked in braced for another Adipurush; fifteen reviewers later the loudest debate is whether Ravana steals the film from Rama, and the one thing nearly all agree on is the Jatayu fight.

Where to watch Ramayana

Not streaming yet. In cinemas from 5 Nov 2026. No streaming platform or date announced yet. (Checked 5 Nov 2026.)

Story

Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1 retells the story of Rama and Ravana as a large-scale cinematic epic, with Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, and music by A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer. It opened in cinemas on 5 November 2026 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, with a runtime of about 3 hours 15 minutes.

What works

  • Visuals, VFX and scale are called the best seen in an Indian film (Lallantop Cinema, Empty Hand, India Today, PJ Explained, Yogi Bolta Hai)
  • Yash's Ravana is the most singled-out performance, and the film gives Ravana's rise real weight (Tried&Refused, Empty Hand, Review Bazaar, Shan Prasher, FlickVerse, Mahidhar Vibes)
  • The Jatayu sequence and the Jatayu and Ravana fight are named as highlights (Lallantop Cinema, India Today, PJ Explained, Filmi Indian)
  • Sai Pallavi's Sita, shown as a fighter, and Ravi Dubey's Lakshmana earn praise (Lallantop Cinema, Thi Cinemas, Yogi Bolta Hai)
  • Ranbir Kapoor's restrained, human Rama convinces most reviewers once the film settles (Shan Prasher, FlickVerse, Mahidhar Vibes, Poolachokka)

What doesn't

  • A long, roughly 3 hour 15 minute runtime and a story many call familiar (Thi Cinemas, Empty Hand, Poolachokka)
  • Some CGI characters, such as the 14,000-demon army and Kumbhakarna, look weak, and several supporting actors get little screen time (Lallantop Cinema, BnfTV, FlickVerse, Poolachokka)
  • The music is the most common complaint: the Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman score holds back big moments and the songs lack impact (Barbell Pitch Meetings, Shan Prasher, Filmi Indian, FlickVerse, Mahidhar Vibes)
  • Some find the divine characters stiff or Sai Pallavi miscast (Barbell Pitch Meetings, Filmi Indian, BnfTV)
  • It is a long set-up: the war is left for Part 2, now due Diwali 2028 (Barbell Pitch Meetings, Lallantop Cinema, BnfTV)

What each reviewer said

  • Tried&Refused Productions (English) — Must Watch, 9/10
    “A long, heartfelt first-day review that opens by dismissing the "Adipurush 2.0" worry: "they've actually done it." He praises how the film mixes several tellings of the Ramayana and gives Ravana's rise real weight. Bottom line: a hugely positive verdict, and he plans to watch it again on the big screen.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Thi Cinemas (Tamil) — Good Watch, 7/10
    “Theatre-exit reactions in Tamil: viewers call the visuals, VFX, 3D and music grand, single out Yash's Ravana and Sai Pallavi's Sita, and say the Tamil dubbing feels natural. A few say it is too long and has no scene that makes them cry. Bottom line: mostly positive audience reaction, not a critic's review.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • India Today (English) — Good Watch, 8/10
    “Outside a packed Bengaluru theatre, viewers praise the VFX ("every frame is beautiful"), Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman's music, the Jatayu and Ravana fight, and Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, calling it a Ramayana for this generation and a film to watch in theatres. Bottom line: a thrilled crowd, partly fans of Yash; not a critic's review.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Lallantop Cinema (Hindi) — Must Watch, 9/10
    “Two critics who expected little say it beat every expectation: the visuals are the best they have seen in an Indian film, and the Jatayu sequence and Ravi Dubey's Lakshman are highlights, with Sita shown as a fighter. Small complaints: wasted supporting roles and a slight 3D blur. Bottom line: 4.5 stars from both, and excited for Part 2.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Empty Hand (Tamil) — Good Watch, 7.5/10
    “Went in fearing another Adipurush and came out pleasantly surprised: the CG is Hollywood-grade and worth the 3D glasses, the screenplay fits a huge story into three hours, and Yash's Ravana steals it over Ranbir. He finds the story itself nothing new. Bottom line: a visual treat to watch in a theatre with the family.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Review Bazaar (Hindi) — Good Watch, 8/10
    “Theatre-exit reactions in Hindi: viewers call it an engaging, never-boring film with strong VFX, dialogues and music, praise Yash and say the story flows logically, and name the climax as the best part. Ranbir is called good but not outstanding. Bottom line: ratings of 4 to 5 out of 5 from the crowd; audience reaction, not a critic's review.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Barbell Pitch Meetings (Telugu) — One-Time Watch, 5.5/10
    “Calls it "mid": visually very good and Yash is the centre of gravity, but the gods feel like dolls, Sai Pallavi seems miscast, Lakshmana is played for comedy, Hans Zimmer's music feels disconnected and the film is a long set-up for Part 2. Bottom line: a one-time watch if you go for the spectacle.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Poolachokka (Telugu) — One-Time Watch, 6.5/10
    “A Hyderabad first-day-first-show review that lands on "middle ground": Ranbir suits Rama, Yash's Ravana and the ten-head scene work, and the Jatayu moment and Hindi dialogues stand out. The CGI on Kumbhakarna and the other giant demons looks fake, the score under-uses its scenes, and parts play like a serial. Bottom line: not a bad film, worth watching once. His tomato score was hard to catch, so 6.5/10 is our reading of his verdict.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • PJ Explained (Hindi) — Must Watch, 10/10
    “A spoiler-free first reaction that calls it the benchmark every future Ramayana must beat. The Jatayu–Ravana fight is the reason he'd pay 300–400 rupees alone, and he prefers Yash's Ravana to Ranbir in Part 1. The restrained Zimmer–Rahman score and some rushed jumps in the story are the downsides. Bottom line: he gives it full marks ("perfection") and says he got emotional.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Shan Prasher (Hindi) — Must Watch, 9/10
    “A long, scene-by-scene breakdown praising the colour design that separates Ravana's Lanka from Ayodhya, Ranbir's controlled anger as Rama, and goosebump moments from the opening onward. The songs don't match the visuals, and he blames weak promotion in India for slow bookings. Bottom line: "fantastic, outstanding", best seen in IMAX.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Filmi Indian (Hindi) — Good Watch, 8/10
    “A passionate review that rates the film 4/5 as an experience, with Ravana's ten heads, Rama versus the 14,000 demons and the climax as the three big reasons to go. Songs and the CGI monsters have no impact, and the emotion lands less than hoped. Bottom line: far better than Adipurush and a Part 2 he'll wait for.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • BnfTV (Hindi) — Must Watch, 9/10
    “He backs the VFX and Lanka's sets as top quality and the budget as visible on screen, but flags thin CGI faces (the 14,000-demon sequence and the Ravana fight), Ranbir's early dialogue delivery and Sai Pallavi's costume. Bottom line: torn between "strong go for it" and "perfection", leaning to the top mark.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • FlickVerse (Hindi) — Good Watch, 8.5/10
    “A calm, thoughtful review of how the film shows Rama at human eye level against Ravana's ego, with Yash called brilliant. The score works wherever emotion is needed, but the 14,000-demon CGI lacks weight and the 3D print is dark, so he advises 2D. Bottom line: not perfect, but the right first step for the series.” Watch the review on YouTube
  • Mahidhar Vibes (Telugu) — Must Watch, 9.8/10
    “A Telugu reviewer who calls Yash born for Ravana, Ranbir convincing after some doubt, and the visuals a level above. The commercial add-on scenes and the uneven background score are his complaints, though the songs and Hanuman Chalisa work. Bottom line: 4.9/5, "one of the best Ramayana films".” Watch the review on YouTube
  • YOGI BOLTA HAI (Hindi) — Must Watch, 9/10
    “A short review that calls it mesmerising: the scale and effort are praised, Ravi Dubey's Lakshmana and Yash's Ravana (with his dubbed voice) stand out, and some moments made him cry. The forced Vidyut Jeeva scene, the replaced voice for Vivek Oberoi and visible CGI in places are the faults. Bottom line: 4.5/5, best in IMAX 3D.” Watch the review on YouTube

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Scores, summaries and pros/cons are aggregated by AI from publicly available YouTube review videos. All video content belongs to its creators.