Ramayana Stars Light Up Los Angeles as Epic Gets Star-Studded World Premiere
The first part of Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi as Ram and Sita, had its star-studded world premiere at the David Geffen Theatre of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, The Hindu reported. Ranbir, Sai Pallavi, producer Namit Malhotra, director Nitesh Tiwari and actor-producer Yash attended the gala evening, the newspaper said.
The red carpet in Los Angeles
Gulf News reported that fans’ cheers echoed across the red carpet as the stars arrived for the world premiere of Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, the first of the two-part adaptation. The stars posed for photographers and stopped for selfies with fans, and the auditorium was full, with international celebrities and media in the audience.
Ranbir, who plays Rama, wore a textured ivory jacket and black trousers, Gulf News reported. Sai Pallavi, cast as Sita, wore a pink saree with silver detailing, while Yash, who plays Ravana, went for all black, finished with a gold brooch. Fans chanted “Ravana” for Yash and called out “RK” for Ranbir. Outlook India reported that Hollywood guests were also on the carpet, including Jada Pinkett Smith, Property Brothers co-star Jonathan Scott and The Boys actor Karen Fukuhara.
A story told for generations
At the premiere, Yash spoke about the cultural and generational significance of the Ramayana, The Hindu reported. “Where you start can never define how far you can go,” he said. “Today, I am proud of being a member of the Kannada film industry, telling our story, which is not just a story.”
“In our country, we just don’t tell the story, we remember it, and we pass it down for generations to come and this story has travelled for thousands of years,” Yash added. Malhotra told PTI ahead of the premiere that it was “the ultimate moment for Indian cinema overall” and a great moment to showcase the story to the world on such a grand scale, The Hindu reported. He said the premiere was designed to introduce the film to Western audiences rather than only to Indian viewers living in the United States, Outlook India reported.
What comes next
The first instalment is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November 2026, The Hindu reported, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with an IMAX release also planned. Sony Pictures will handle international distribution outside India, while Dharma Productions will distribute it in the Hindi-speaking market, with an original score by Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman, Gulf News reported. Early reactions reported by The Indian Express praised Ranbir and Yash, while describing the overall response as a mixed bag.
Sources: The Hindu, 28 October 2026; Gulf News, 28 October 2026; Outlook India, 28 October 2026; The Indian Express, 28 October 2026.