Taking Your Kids to See the Ramayana Movie: What Parents Should Know

The new Ramayana movie opens in theaters on Thursday, November 5, just before Diwali. If your kids are asking to go, here is what to know first. It comes from the family behind Mythical Masala with Neev, a podcast that has been retelling the Ramayana for kids since 2024.

Quick facts

• Title: Ramayana: Rise of a Legend in the US, Ramayana: Part 1 in India
• In theaters: Thursday, November 5, 2026, in Hindi and English, including IMAX
• US rating: PG-13, for sequences of strong violence and action, and some bloody images
• Runtime: 3 hours 15 minutes, as listed by IMAX. The English version is reported to be shorter, so check your showtime listing.
• Part 2: expected around Diwali 2027
• Director: Nitesh Tiwari
• Cast: Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Sunny Deol as Hanuman and Ravi Dubey as Lakshmana
• Tickets and showtimes: the official movie site

What does PG-13 mean for this movie?

PG-13 means some material may not suit children under 13, and parents are strongly cautioned. The rating board gave this film PG-13 for “sequences of strong violence and action, and some bloody images.” The Ramayana has always had battles. The trailers show this version leaning into them, with Ravana as a fierce and frightening villain.

Is it right for my child?

You know your child best. Three things are worth weighing:

• Length. Over three hours is a long sit for younger kids. Ask your theater whether the show has an intermission, and plan a snack and a bathroom break.
• Intensity. If big battle scenes or scary villains upset your child, watch the trailer together first and see how they react.
• How well they know the story. Kids who already know what happens next often find intense scenes easier, because nothing comes as a shock. Ten minutes of listening before the movie can make a big difference.

The Ramayana in 10 minutes

Prince Rama of Ayodhya wins Princess Sita by breaking Lord Shiva’s mighty bow. Then Queen Kaikeyi uses two old wishes to send him into the forest for fourteen years. Sita and his brother Lakshmana go with him. In the forest, Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka, tricks Rama with a golden deer and carries Sita away. The brave vulture Jatayu fights to stop him. Rama’s search leads to Hanuman, who leaps across the ocean to find Sita. An army builds a bridge to Lanka, Ravana falls, and Rama comes home to Ayodhya, where the people light rows of lamps. That is the first Diwali.

Listen to the whole story in about 10 minutes: Before the Ramayana Movie, a free bonus episode of Mythical Masala with Neev, out Monday, October 26.

Who’s who

• Rama: prince of Ayodhya, the hero, known for keeping his word
• Sita: princess of Mithila and Rama’s wife, brave and steady
• Lakshmana: Rama’s younger brother, who follows him into exile
• Ravana: the ten-headed king of Lanka, a brilliant scholar and a fearsome villain
• Hanuman: the mighty monkey hero who leaps across the ocean to find Sita
• Kaikeyi: the queen whose two wishes send Rama into exile
• Shurpanakha: Ravana’s sister, whose anger sets the kidnapping in motion
• Jatayu: the old vulture who fights Ravana to save Sita

Listen before you go

Pick the path that fits your time:

1. 10 minutes: the bonus episode, Before the Ramayana Movie, out Monday, October 26.
2. The part this movie likely covers: Part 1 of our story order runs from Valmiki and Shiva’s bow to Sita’s abduction.
3. The whole epic: every Ramayana episode in order on The Ramayana for Kids page.

After the movie

• Test what they remember with the Ramayana Quiz.
• Print the Ramayana Printable Pack or the 6-page Diwali Printable Pack for the long weekend.
• See where it happened: Ayodhya, Janakpur, Chitrakoot, Kishkindha and Rameshwaram.
• Teachers: a full 4-week unit is in Teaching the Ramayana.

Frequently asked questions

The answers are below, in the FAQ block.

Mythical Masala with Neev is an independent kids' podcast. We are not affiliated with the film, its producers or its distributors.