India's costliest film, Ramayana, is finally out, and critics are split

It cost a reported $500m (£370m) across two parts, and it's already India's most expensive film ever. Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has now opened in cinemas worldwide, and the verdict is anything but unanimous.

What happened?

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this is the first of two films retelling the Ramayana, one of Hinduism's foundational epics. Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Ram, the prince of Ayodhya, who is banished for 14 years. Sai Pallavi plays his wife Sita, who is kidnapped by Ravana, the 10-headed king of Lanka, played by southern star Yash.

The team is huge. Producer Namit Malhotra heads DNEG, the visual-effects studio behind Dune and Interstellar. The music comes from AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer. The big battle between Ram and Ravana is saved for part two, due next year.

It landed just days before Diwali, the festival of lights that marks Ram's return to Ayodhya.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Critics are properly divided. NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee gave three stars and said the scale is mostly the only thing that stands out. The Hindustan Times gave four stars: "all that money shows on screen." The Indian Express's Shubhra Gupta, also at three stars, called it the "perfect epic".

Abroad, The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave four stars and called it "spectacular". IGN's Siddhant Adlakha gave four out of 10 and called the CGI an "eye-sore". The AI used to adjust lip movements in the English version also drew criticism.

There's history here too. Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan (1987) emptied Indian streets on Sunday mornings, and Arun Govil, its Ram, now plays Ram's father Dasharatha. Ram is also a powerful symbol of Hindu identity in India, and the 2023 film Adipurush faced a backlash. Kapoor admits he was "filled with fear" about playing the role.

What's next?

Part two, with the war between Ram and Ravana, is due next year. Earlier, a first glimpse arrived in July 2025, and on release day Alia Bhatt shared set photos of Ranbir and their daughter Raha. Now audiences will decide whether the money was worth it.