JioHotstar brings Ramayana to pay per view after theatrical release

MUMBAI: From the big screen to the small screen, Ramayana is preparing to make a journey of epic proportions. JioHotstar and Prime Focus Studios have partnered to bring Namit Malhotra’s much-anticipated Ramayana: Part One to Indian audiences through a dedicated pay-per-view offering after its exclusive theatrical run, giving viewers another way to experience the cinematic retelling of the Indian epic.

The film is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on 5 November 2026, coinciding with Diwali, in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English. It will also be released in IMAX 3D, with the makers positioning the cinema experience as the first stop for audiences before the film becomes available to purchase on demand through JioHotstar in India.

Unlike a conventional streaming release included within a subscription, the proposed pay-per-view model will allow viewers to access the film through a separate on-demand purchase. The announcement does not specify the purchase price or the length of the exclusive theatrical window before the digital offering becomes available.

The partnership brings together JioHotstar’s distribution reach and Prime Focus Studios’ film production ambitions. It also creates a route for the film to reach viewers who may not have access to a cinema screening, while retaining an initial theatrical window for a production conceived for premium cinematic formats.

JioStar chairperson Nita M. Ambani described the epic as a cultural legacy that has shaped generations, adding that technology could help bring its values and storytelling to a wider audience. She said the partnership would allow families across India to experience the film and introduce a new generation to themes of duty, love, courage and goodness.

For producer Namit Malhotra, the theatrical experience remains central to the film’s vision. He said Ramayana should be experienced on the biggest screen possible, particularly in IMAX 3D, but acknowledged that cinema infrastructure cannot reach everyone who feels connected to the epic. He described JioHotstar as a natural partner for taking the film into Indian homes after its theatrical run.

The move reflects an attempt to bridge the gap between large-scale theatrical filmmaking and digital access. For a story with deep cultural familiarity across India, the challenge is not simply to create a cinematic spectacle but also to make it accessible to audiences beyond major cinema centres.

Produced by Prime Focus Studios in association with DNEG, the eight-time Academy Award-winning production and visual effects studio, and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, Ramayana is planned as a two-part live-action cinematic event. The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, with the screenplay adapted by Shridhar Raghavan from Valmiki’s epic.

The production brings together Indian and international creative talent. Academy Award-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman are attached to the music, while Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery have handled production design. Action sequences involve Terry Notary and Guy Norris, adding international expertise to the film’s large-scale visual and action requirements.

The cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. The wider ensemble features Arun Govil, Lara Dutta, Rakul Preet Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Kunal Kapoor and Kajal Aggarwal, among others.

The scale of the production and its combination of Indian performers with international creative talent place the film among the major cinematic releases scheduled for the festive season. Its two-part format also means that the first instalment is intended to begin a larger retelling rather than deliver the entire epic in a single film.

The digital partnership gives JioHotstar a role beyond conventional subscription streaming by introducing a dedicated purchase route for a major theatrical title. For Prime Focus Studios, it provides an additional distribution channel after the cinema window, potentially widening the film’s reach without making the digital offering an immediate replacement for theatrical exhibition.

However, several commercial details remain unannounced, including the pay-per-view price, the precise date of digital availability and the duration of the theatrical exclusivity period. The announcement confirms that the film will become available through a separate on-demand purchase on JioHotstar in India after its theatrical run, but does not establish whether the same arrangement will apply internationally.

For audiences, the release plan offers two distinct ways to watch the film: a cinema-first experience, including IMAX 3D, followed by an on-demand purchase option at home. For the companies involved, it combines the scale of theatrical distribution with the reach of a digital platform.

Ramayana: Part One is set to arrive in cinemas worldwide on 5 November 2026, with the JioHotstar pay-per-view release to follow its exclusive theatrical window. The epic’s next journey will therefore move from cinema screens towards Indian living rooms, with the timing and pricing of that second chapter still to be confirmed.