(L-R) Nitesh Tiwari, Yash, Ranbir Kapoor,and Namit Malhotra. Pic/PTI

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 25, 2026)

Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 found itself at the centre of two different conversations on July 24. While the epic’s first major showcase at San Diego Comic-Con was met with applause from the international audience, its India trailer launch was called off amid the ongoing student protests.

Minutes before the Comic-Con panel began with actors Ranbir Kapoor and Yash in attendance, producer Namit Malhotra announced that the trailer would no longer be released globally as scheduled. 

A source said, “The makers chose to withhold the online launch, saying it would arrive at a later date. The protests across India had prompted the makers to do a rethink.”

The presentation itself went ahead as scheduled, with the team unveiling exclusive footage of the epic to an enthusiastic response from the nearly 4800 attendees.

“This marked only the second time an Indian film has received such a prominent showcase at San Diego Comic-Con after Kalki 2898 AD,” added the source.

While rumours over the past few days suggested that Ramayana: Part 1 might arrive ahead of schedule, the makers reaffirmed at the event that it will be a Diwali 2026 release.
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A dance performance preceding the ‘Ramayana: Part 1’ panel was widely criticized for being a mish-mash of multiple dance forms