Ramayana Will Have Three Different Theatrical Cuts — Hindi, English International, and Chinese

One Film, Three Versions

Ramayana: Part 1 will not be the same film everywhere in the world. In a strategy unprecedented for Indian cinema, the makers have prepared three distinct theatrical cuts tailored to different markets. The Hindi domestic version, the English international version, and a separate Chinese theatrical version will each offer a different experience — varying in runtime, song inclusion, and pacing.

This is not a case of censorship or regional edits for content reasons. Each version has been deliberately crafted to match audience expectations and viewing habits in its target market.

The Hindi Domestic Cut: The Complete Experience

The full Hindi version — the version Indian audiences will see on Diwali, November 8 — runs approximately 180 to 199 minutes (3 hours to 3 hours 19 minutes). This is the director's intended version: the complete Ramayana: Part 1 experience with all musical sequences, character moments, and dramatic arcs intact.

Indian audiences are accustomed to three-hour films. Baahubali 2 ran 167 minutes. KGF Chapter 2 was 168 minutes. RRR came in at 187 minutes. At around 180-199 minutes, Ramayana sits comfortably within audience expectations for a prestige Indian epic. The songs composed by A.R. Rahman — including the chart-topping Jai Jai Ram featuring Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal — are woven into the narrative and serve as emotional anchors in the storytelling.

The English International Cut: Leaner and Faster

The English international version, distributed by Sony Pictures across 37+ countries, is approximately 30 minutes shorter than the Hindi cut — running roughly 150 to 169 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 49 minutes). The primary difference is the removal of song sequences.

This is a deliberate creative choice, not a compromise. International audiences outside of South Asia are generally not accustomed to musical interludes within dramatic narratives. Hollywood epics like Gladiator, The Lord of the Rings, and Dune tell their stories through dialogue, action, and score — not songs. By trimming the musical sequences and select expositional scenes, the international cut matches the pacing expectations of multiplex audiences in North America, Europe, and other global markets.

The English version also features DNEG's proprietary Brahma AI lip-sync technology — the same system used for the English trailer that went viral in August. Rather than simple dubbing, Brahma AI adjusts the actors' lip movements frame by frame so the English dialogue appears natural. This technology enables Ramayana to release across nearly 50 languages without the uncanny-valley effect of traditional dubbing.

The Chinese Theatrical Cut: A Market-Specific Edit

China gets its own version: a 166-minute (2 hours 46 minutes) theatrical cut prepared specifically for mainland Chinese distribution. China is a market where the Ramayana story resonates through centuries of cultural exchange — the tale of the Monkey King in Journey to the West draws directly from Hanuman and the Ramayana tradition.

The Chinese cut reportedly calibrates pacing for the Chinese multiplex audience while preserving the core narrative. At 166 minutes, it is shorter than both the Hindi domestic version and close to the English international cut's length. The film screened at the Pingyao International Film Festival on September 23, 2026 — the first time a cut of the film was shown in China.

Why Three Cuts Is a Smart Strategy

Multiple theatrical versions are not new in global cinema — but they are new for Indian cinema at this level. Hollywood studios regularly prepare different cuts for different markets. Christopher Nolan's films occasionally differ in runtime between IMAX and standard versions. Chinese releases of Hollywood films routinely feature market-specific edits.

For Ramayana, which is targeting an unprecedented 59,000 screens globally, the three-cut strategy acknowledges a basic reality: a film that works perfectly for a Diwali audience in Mumbai will not necessarily work the same way for a Thursday evening audience in Kansas City or a weekend crowd in Shanghai. Rather than forcing a single version on all markets — as every previous Indian global release has done — the Ramayana team has invested in tailoring the experience.

The risk is minimal and the upside is substantial. Indian diaspora audiences in the US, UK, and UAE will likely seek out the Hindi version at South Asian-targeted screenings. General international audiences will get the English cut optimised for their expectations. China gets a version built for its market. Each audience gets the best possible version of the same film.

What About Other Languages?

Beyond the three primary cuts, Ramayana will release in nearly 50 languages worldwide. The Brahma AI lip-sync technology developed by DNEG enables localised versions in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, and dozens of international languages. These versions are based on the same underlying cuts but with language-specific dialogue and lip-sync adjustments. The Tamil and Telugu versions are expected to perform strongly in South India, where mythological epics have a deep theatrical tradition.