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Few stories have been retold as often, or in as many forms, as The Ramayana. Valmiki's tale of Ram's exile, Sita's abduction and the war against Ravana has been sung, staged, animated and filmed for generations. Each telling finds an audience because the questions underneath never change. What do we owe our family? What does a promise cost? Does good really win?
The story also sits at the heart of the festive calendar. Dussehra marks Ravana's defeat, and Deepavali marks Ram's homecoming to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. Yet even with a plot everyone knows, no two versions look alike. Some became cultural landmarks, some told the epic from an angle earlier ones skipped, and one or two sparked arguments about how a sacred story should be shown on screen.
Director Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part One reaches cinemas worldwide on November 5, 2026. Ranbir Kapoor plays Ram, Sai Pallavi plays Sita and Yash plays Ravana. Namit Malhotra produces, and the story is planned as two films, with Part Two following in Diwali 2027.
Here are six prior adaptations to watch before the film:
Directed by Ramanand Sagar, who also created and wrote it, the iconic TV serial Ramayana ran for 78 episodes on Doordarshan, from January 25, 1987 to July 31, 1988, Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. The series drew mainly from Valmiki and Tulsidas, with a few touches from Kamban. Arun Govil played Ram, Deepika Chikhlia was Sita, Sunil Lahri was Lakshman, and Dara Singh was Hanuman. It was a hit in India and abroad, and it turned Sunday mornings into a family appointment around the TV.
Fun twist: Arun Govil is back in the upcoming film as King Dasharatha, so the original Ram is now playing the dad.
Language: Hindi
Where to watch: YouTube (Tilak channel)
This show ran for over 300 episodes of about 24 minutes each on Star Plus. The big idea here is the point of view: the epic told through Sita's eyes. Ashish Sharma plays Ram, Madirakshi Mundle plays Sita and Karan Suchak plays Lakshman. Viewers and reviewers liked the fresh perspective, the performances and the polished look. The series covers the big moments, from Sita's swayamvara to the trial by fire and the coronation. It also spotlights Ram's sister Shanta, a character from some tellings who turns up early on.
Language: Hindi
Where to watch: JioHotstar
Directed by C.S. Rao and Chittajalu Pullayya, this Telugu adaptation ran for 75 weeks in theatres, with a runtime of around three hours.This one picks up after the war with Ravan. Rumours in Ayodhya lead Ram to send Sita away, she gives birth to twin sons in Valmiki's ashram, and the boys later face their father over the Ashwamedha horse. Yes, Ram versus his own kids!
N.T. Rama Rao and Anjali Devi were cast as Ram and Sita after the makers saw them play the roles in a song from another film. It was also the first full-length colour film in Telugu cinema. The film released on March 29, 1963 in Telugu, and in Tamil later that April, grossing over ₹1crore.
Language: Telugu
Where to watch: Sun NXT, Prime Video
Directed by Bapu, released on November 17, 2011, running just under three hours. It follows the same stretch of the story as Lava Kusa, nearly fifty years later. Nandamuri Balakrishna plays Rama, Nayanthara plays Sita, Akkineni Nageswara Rao plays Valmiki, and Srikanth plays Lakshmana. The film opens with the homecoming to Ayodhya, then follows Sita's exile and the twins' coming-of-age. It was dubbed into Tamil and Malayalam, and won several Nandi Awards, including Best Feature Film and Best Actress.
Language: Telugu
Where to watch: Jio Hotstar, Prime Video
Directed by Yugo Sako, with Koichi Sasaki and India's Ram Mohan, this landmark 1990s anime adaptation had a runtime of 135 minutes. This was a joint venture between India and Japan, made as the two countries marked forty years of diplomatic ties. It premiered at the International Film Festival of India in New Delhi in 1993. The English version has Sanskrit songs and voices that include Rahul Bose and Cyrus Broacha. A 4K remaster released in theatres in 2022, and is widely loved by generations of young viewers.
Language: English
Where to watch: YouTube
This epic was directed by Om Raut and released on June 16, 2023, shot in Hindi and Telugu together, with Prabhas as Raghava, Kriti Sanon as Janaki, Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh, Sunny Singh as Lakshman and Devdatta Nage as Hanuman. Made on a reported budget of ₹600 crore, the film opened to big numbers on day one but drew heavy criticism over its dialogues and dodgy VFX, and the makers revised the lines after release. It's worth a watch for the contrast alone.
Language: Hindi
Where to watch: Netflix, Prime Video
The next major interpretation arrives with considerable expectations. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, Ramayana: Part One stars Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Sunny Deol and Ravi Dubey are also part of the ensemble, while Arun Govil's casting as Dasharatha brings a familiar face from the 1987 television series into the new production.
The project is being developed as a two-part cinematic saga, with a reported budget running into thousands of crores. Its ambition extends beyond Indian audiences: Sony Pictures International is spearheading its global promotional campaign, with the stated aim of introducing the epic to viewers unfamiliar with its story. The film is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on November 5, 2026.
As Ramayana: Part One prepares for its release, it joins a lineage of filmmakers who have attempted to interpret one of India's most enduring narratives for their own time. The characters may change faces, the medium may evolve and the technology may become more sophisticated, but the story's greatest challenge remains the same: finding a new way to tell something audiences have known for generations.