Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana has long been positioned as one of Indian cinema’s most ambitious attempts to take a homegrown epic to a global audience. And as Part One prepares for its worldwide theatrical release later this year, the makers are reportedly tailoring that experience depending on where audiences are watching it.
According to recent reports, the film is being prepared in separate versions for Indian and international audiences, with the English-language cut expected to be around 30 minutes shorter than its Hindi counterpart.
The international version will do away with the film’s songs and trim certain scenes to bring down its overall runtime. The Hindi and other Indian-language versions, meanwhile, are expected to retain the musical sequences.
The decision is aimed at catering to different viewing preferences across markets. While Indian audiences are accustomed to longer theatrical releases with songs woven into the narrative, the makers are said to be opting for a tighter edit for international viewers.
The change comes right after the release of the film’s first song, Jai Jai Ram, composed by A.R. Rahman and featuring vocals by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal.
Musical sequences such as these would not feature in the English cut. It remains unclear, however, exactly how much of the 30-minute reduction will come from songs and which other scenes could be trimmed. The makers are yet to officially confirm details of the separate edits.
Tiwari’s ambitious two-part retelling of the Indian epic brings together some of the biggest names in Indian cinema. Ranbir Kapoor takes on the role of Rama opposite Sai Pallavi as Sita, while Yash plays Ravana. Sunny Deol will be seen as Hanuman, with Ravi Dubey playing Lakshmana.
The film also brings together A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer for its music, while Oscar-winning visual effects studio DNEG is behind its VFX.
Ramayana: Part One is set to release in UAE cinemas on November 6, with Part Two scheduled for Diwali 2027.
Source: Khaleej Times