Ramayana's 20-minute clip stuns viewers at CinemaCon, creator says Oscar hopes rise

A retelling of one of India’s most iconic epics, Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana is already drawing global attention ahead of its release. Fresh buzz has now emerged from CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where unseen footage reportedly received a strong reaction from a select audience.

According to a YouTube creator from the channel Mr Like It Or Not, around 20 minutes of exclusive footage from the film was screened for a small group of attendees. The creator, who was among the select few, described the visuals as grand and immersive, suggesting a blend of mythological storytelling and large-scale fantasy. "This film can be both a true grand epic and also a spectacular fantasy story," he said.

While these claims remain unverified, the creator also hinted that the film could have a strong run at international awards, including the Academy Awards. He further claimed that Warner Bros. may handle the film’s global distribution, though there has been no official confirmation from the makers.

He continued, "They just landed a big distribution here in America that will give them a big, global push. Warner Bros studios will be distributing this film globally."

Additionally, the creator described the 20-minute footage as visually grand and said the film could aim for a strong Oscars run, particularly in the International Feature Film category. "I am pretty sure they are going to push for some Academy Awards in a bunch of different categories, especially a nomination for the International Feature Film. It's going to fit that particular style," he said.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana is mounted on a reported budget of around Rs 4,000 crore. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, alongside Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravi Dubey as Lakshman.

Planned as a two-part saga, the film is scheduled to release during Diwali 2026 and Diwali 2027.