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Weeks before Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1 reaches cinemas, a Delhi-based Hindu body has asked to see it first. The Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, through its president Arjun Kumar, wrote to the makers asking for a special preview screening for its delegation, and warned of protests outside cinemas if the request is ignored. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Here is what was asked, why, what the makers have said, and how this fits with India's film certification rules and past controversies.
The demand at a glance
- Who: Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, an umbrella body linked to Ramlila committees in Delhi, led by president Arjun Kumar
- When: reported on 2–3 August 2026, via a letter to director Nitesh Tiwari and the production house
- What: a preview screening of the film for a Mahasangh delegation before its theatrical release in India and overseas
- Why: to flag any scenes or dialogue the group feels could hurt Hindu religious sentiments, so they can be changed before release
- Warning: protests and demonstrations near cinema halls in Delhi and other states if the request is ignored
- Makers' response: none reported publicly as of 14 October 2026
- Release date: 5 November 2026, worldwide
What exactly did the Mahasangh say?
According to reports carried by news agencies and several outlets, including Republic, Outlook, The Pioneer and Eastern Eye, Arjun Kumar sent a formal letter to Nitesh Tiwari and the film's production company. The letter asks that the film be shown to a Mahasangh delegation before it opens, both in India and abroad.
The group said it had "received information" that the film "may also contain certain scenes that could hurt the sentiments of Hindus living in India and abroad". It did not say which scenes it meant. The idea, as reported, is that members would watch the final cut, point out anything they object to, and ask the makers to consider corrections before release.
Speaking to PTI, Kumar also explained the group's thinking in personal terms: the Mahasangh says it promoted Adipurush in 2023 without seeing it first, and does not want to repeat that. He described the Ramayana as belonging to "billions of people".
The letter warned that if the film is released without such a screening, the Mahasangh along with other Hindu organisations would hold protests and demonstrations outside cinema halls in Delhi and other states.
One report goes further. Outlook, citing NDTV, reported that Kumar also criticised Ranbir Kapoor's performance in the trailer, saying his portrayal of Ram "seems weak and lacks the gravitas" of the character. Other reports of the same letter do not include this line, so it is best read as part of one account rather than the core demand. The same report notes that the Mahasangh accepts it has no official certification authority.
Why Adipurush keeps coming up
Every report of the demand points back to Adipurush, Om Raut's 2023 film with Prabhas and Kriti Sanon. That film faced a wide backlash after release, and the Mahasangh's letter specifically recalls objections to how it showed Lanka – in black rather than the golden city of tradition – and how it portrayed Ravana and his army.
The fallout was serious and public:
- Dialogue rewrites: within days of release, dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir Shukla said the makers would revise some of the lines that had drawn criticism.
- Nepal: Kathmandu and Pokhara halted screenings of Hindi films in June 2023 over a line describing Sita as a daughter of India, until the line was changed.
- The courts: the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, hearing petitions against the film, sharply criticised its dialogues and questioned the CBFC's approval of them, and issued notice to Muntashir.
Who actually decides what audiences see: the CBFC
In India, the body that clears a film for public exhibition is the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It can grant a certificate, ask for cuts or changes, or refer a film to a revising committee. A religious or community group has no legal role in that process, which is why a private preview for such a group, if it happens at all, is a voluntary choice by the makers.
So far, the CBFC has cleared Ramayana's promotional material. Two trailer versions – of 4 minutes 15 seconds and 4 minutes – were reported to have received a U (Universal) certificate in mid-July 2026, ahead of the trailer launch. A certificate for the full feature film had not been reported at the time of writing.
Has this happened before?
Requests for pre-release screenings are not new in Indian cinema. The best-known case is Padmaavat (2018). The Karni Sena named its own panel of historians and members of former royal families and demanded the film be shown to them. Separately, the CBFC itself consulted historians before clearing the film with changes, including the title change from Padmavati to Padmaavat. When two of the historians on the Karni Sena's list later watched the film, they said it should not offend anyone – though the screening came only after release, which the group's leadership objected to.
What the makers have said
As of 14 October 2026, there has been no public reply from Nitesh Tiwari, producer Namit Malhotra's team or Yash's Monster Mind Creations to the Mahasangh's letter, in any of the reports we checked. The makers have instead kept to their own schedule: on 11 October, the first day of Navratri, they confirmed the worldwide release date of 5 November 2026 with a new poster, and said advance booking opens on Dussehra.
The film has already been shown to select audiences in controlled settings – a test screening for an invited audience in Los Angeles in February, and a closed-door media preview in Mumbai before the April teaser – but nothing has been reported about a screening for religious organisations.
What happens next
Three things are worth watching in the coming weeks: whether the film's CBFC certificate is announced, whether the makers respond to the Mahasangh in any form, and whether the group follows through on its protest warning once bookings open.
If the epic is on your mind this festive season, devotional channels such as Aastha and Sanskar carry Ram katha and bhajans live, and big Hindi films play round the clock on Star Gold HD. For a grand screen epic while you wait, Bāhubali: The Epic is on NoWireTV.
Read next
- Ramayana (2026): release date, cast, budget and everything we know
- Diwali 2026 movies: every big film in cinemas and on OTT
- Devotional TV channels live: Aastha, Sanskar and more
Frequently asked questions
Why does Shri Ramlila Mahasangh want to see Ramayana before release?
The group says it wants to check that no scenes or dialogue hurt Hindu religious sentiments, and to ask for changes before release. It points to the 2023 backlash against Adipurush as the reason.
Who is behind the demand?
Arjun Kumar, president of the Delhi-based Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, who wrote to director Nitesh Tiwari and the production house in early August 2026.
Have the Ramayana makers agreed to a special screening?
No response from the makers had been reported as of 14 October 2026.
Can a religious group stop a film's release in India?
No. Certification is the job of the Central Board of Film Certification. A private screening for any group is the makers' own choice, though courts can hear legal challenges.
When does Ramayana: Part 1 release?
The makers have confirmed a worldwide release on 5 November 2026, with advance booking opening on Dussehra. Part 2 is planned for Diwali 2027.
