The verdict so far is split down the middle
Ramayana Part 1 is finally in theatres, and the first reviews tell two different stories at once. On one side you have a film of jaw dropping scale, with visual effects, costumes, and battle scenes that critics keep calling the biggest India has ever put on screen. On the other side you have reviewers who say the heart of the epic never quite shows up.
The split began at the October 27 world premiere at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, once the international embargo lifted. Now the Indian reviews are landing on release day, and they are telling a similar story.
If you want a one line summary, here it is. Almost everyone agrees on the scale. Almost no one agrees on the soul. That is the fight running through every review below, so read the scores with that split in mind.
The international scores tell a mixed story
The numbers from the Los Angeles premiere spread wide. ScreenRant gave the film 7 out of 10 and called it an impressive cinematic achievement on a purely visual and technical level. IndieWire gave it a B grade and called it epic in the fullest sense of the word. Next Best Picture rated it 5 out of 10. IGN gave it just 4 out of 10.
Its Cinema went the other way entirely. It rated the film 4.5 out of 5 and called it an EPIC BLOCKBUSTER. That is the highest score any major outlet has given it so far, and it shows how far apart viewers can land on the same film.
NYC Movie Guru was the harshest voice of the lot. It called the film a visually dazzling action adventure with great set and costume design, but then added that it is bloated, clunky, exhausting, emotionally hollow and poorly acted. It even called it an overproduced B-movie. You do not need to agree with that verdict to see the pattern. The praise is almost always about what the film looks like. The criticism is almost always about what it feels like.
What Outlook India said on release day
The first big Indian review landed on the morning of release day, November 5, 2026. Outlook India gave Ramayana Part 1 a rating of 2.5 out of 5. Its verdict was plain. The film impresses with its visual scale and a compelling Ravana, but it struggles to find the emotional and philosophical depth of the Ramayana.
The review praised the production design and the visual effects, and it said the film creates an expansive mythological world. It also said Yash as Ravana commands attention, and that his performance consistently holds the screen. That praise matters, because it matches what almost every other critic has said about Yash.
But the review was blunt about the rest. It said Ranbir Kapoor as Ram lacks the character's expected composure, and that the film underdevelops Sita. It also said the film overlooks the emotional and philosophical significance of Bharat. In short, the spectacle works and the soul does not, at least not in the way this critic wanted.
M9.news agreed, also giving 2.5 out of 5 with the bottom line Big on Scale, Short on Soul. Two different reviewers, the same 2.5, the same complaint.
The praise every critic seems to share
Strip away the disagreements and one point of agreement stays standing. The scale is real. ScreenRant called the film an impressive cinematic achievement. IndieWire wrote that it contains dozens of moments that would each be the climax of another film, and that every scene is scored with appropriate musical majesty by Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman.
The Telegraph India roundup of the early reviews put it simply. Several reviewers praised the film's visual scale and performances, while others flagged issues with its storytelling and execution. That sentence covers nearly every review published so far.
The criticism every critic seems to share
The shared criticism is just as clear. IGN called it a robotic adaptation, and said the fantasy fights lack the necessary physical and emotional weight to make a lasting impact. It also said Ranbir as Ram and Sai Pallavi as Sita are graceful in posture, but there is little underlying either of them as actual human beings.
ScreenRant made a similar point in softer language. It said Ranbir and Sai Pallavi excel in the more action packed moments and bring a lot of charm to the scenes that expand on their characters. But it added that they, and most of the movie's characters, are rooted so thoroughly in their embodiment of their mythological selves that they do not always feel fully human.
The exception, ScreenRant said, is Yash as Ravana, who gets a fascinating focus in the first act. That line sums up the whole review roundup. Ravana feels like a person. Ram and Sita, in the eyes of several critics, feel like statues that move. You can disagree with that reading, and plenty of fans do, but you should know it is the single most repeated criticism in the early reviews.
What to watch for as more reviews land
Indian reviews are still landing today, so the picture will keep changing through the day. The big trade voices have seen the film, and trade veteran Taran Adarsh, who watched it twice in 2D and 3D, called it fantastic and a brilliant movie. He also called it the highest pre-Diwali opener of all time, which is a box office call rather than a review score, but it shows how strongly the film has landed with at least one veteran voice.
The safest verdict right now is the honest one. Ramayana Part 1 is a visual event that has split the critics. If you go for scale, sound, and spectacle, the reviews say you will get your money's worth. If you go for the emotional core of the epic, keep your expectations in check.
The Guardian and the early audience scores
The Guardian gave Ramayana Part 1 four out of five. Critic Peter Bradshaw called it rousing and hugely enjoyable, likened its imagery to The Lord of the Rings and The Lion King, and praised the lead trio and the Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman score. Several reviewers also flagged weaknesses in the English-dubbed version.
Early audience scores are moving fast and should be read as early, not final. IMDb shows 7.2 out of 10, described as satisfying and better than expected, while Rotten Tomatoes shows 45 percent with reviews still pouring in.
What fans are saying on X
Venky Reviews (@venkyreviews), October 31, 2026: "Yash is easily the biggest highlight and delivers a terrific performance as Ravana. Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi are sincere as Ram and Sita, but the divine and emotional connect never comes through consistently." Rating 2.5/5. Read the Daily Jagran roundup.
Christopher Kanagaraj (@Chrissuccess), November 5, 2026: "Yash as Ravana steals the show. His sequences are terrific. Outstanding CG, visuals. That climax Jatayu sequence is wow. Ranbir-Sita episodes fail to bring emotion." Read the NDTV roundup.
Sources and reporting
- Outlook India — Nov 5, 2026 · Verifies the 2.5/5 rating, the praise for VFX and Yash as Ravana, and the criticism that Ram lacks composure and Sita is underdeveloped
- The Telegraph India — Oct 31, 2026 · Verifies the mixed LA reviews, Its Cinema 4.5/5, ScreenRant, IndieWire, IGN and NYC Movie Guru quotes
- The Indian Express — Nov 3, 2026 · Verifies the LA premiere at the Academy Museum, the ScreenRant 7/10 and IGN 4/10 scores, and the IndieWire B grade
- Gulf News — Nov 5, 2026 · Source for The Guardian 4 out of 5 review and the early audience scores in the Guardian section
- News18 — Nov 5, 2026 · Source for The Guardian review, IMDb 7.2 out of 10 and Rotten Tomatoes 45 percent early audience scores
