Mumbai, November 10, 2026: Releasing just three days before Diwali, Namit Malhotra’s Ramayana faced the challenge of attracting audiences during a period traditionally considered difficult for big theatrical releases. Although the film opened strongly, its ticket sales remained behind Dhurandhar 2 during the first three days, while Sunday witnessed a slight slowdown. However, what followed on the extended Diwali holiday was something extraordinary. Monday brought a massive surge in bookings, turning the film’s fifth day into its biggest ticket-selling day yet for a bollywood movie.
Ramayana sold approximately 16.6 lakh tickets on its first Monday, breaking not only the first-Monday record previously held by Pushpa 2 but also Dhurandhar 2’s all-time Bollywood single-day peak of 16.4 lakh tickets. The Nitesh Tiwari directorial has now registered the highest single-day BMS ticket sales for a Bollywood film, ranking fourth overall in the available Indian cinema records, with only three performances by Pushpa 2 remaining ahead.
Ramayana Nearly Doubles Dhurandhar 2 to Lead First Monday BMS Rankings
The scale of the achievement becomes clearer when compared with previous blockbusters. Pushpa 2 had held the first-Monday lead with 9.39 lakh bookings, followed by Jailer 2 and Dhurandhar 2. Ramayana has moved substantially ahead of these films, recording approximately 76.8% more tickets than Pushpa 2 and almost 100% more than Dhurandhar 2.
*Figures marked with an asterisk are based on preliminary or rounded ticket-sales tracking. The rankings cover the available BookMyShow comparison data.
However, the calendar provides important context. Dhurandhar 2 achieved its first-Monday performance on March 23, 2026, a regular working day, whereas Ramayana benefited from the extended Diwali holiday on November 9. The festive break offered greater flexibility for family outings and group bookings, particularly during daytime shows. Therefore, while Ramayana has convincingly established the higher absolute ticket-sales record, the two performances should not be treated as identical tests of weekday audience retention.
Ramayana Joins Pushpa 2 and Dhurandhar 2 in the Exclusive 1.5 Million BMS Club
Only Pushpa 2 and Dhurandhar 2 had previously registered more than 15 lakh bookings in a single day, achieving the feat three times each. Ramayana has now joined this exclusive group with its Day 5 performance, becoming the third film in the tracked rankings to reach the milestone. Unlike the previous two blockbusters, which achieved their respective peaks during the opening three days, Ramayana reached this level after its opening weekend.
Can Ramayana Challenge Pushpa 2’s 17.6 Lakh BMS Record?
Despite Monday’s remarkable turnaround, Dhurandhar 2 retains a cumulative lead of approximately 19.54 lakh tickets when pre-sales are included. However, Ramayana has made up significant ground, with its theatrical-day bookings now trailing by only around 9% when pre-sales are excluded. The contrast reflects two different trajectories: Dhurandhar 2 benefited from a much stronger opening, while Ramayana gained momentum as the Diwali holidays progressed.
The bigger question is whether Ramayana can generate another surge of this magnitude after the extended Diwali holiday. Pushpa 2 achieved its record-breaking numbers during the opening weekend, when audience urgency was naturally at its highest. Ramayana, however, has reached its strongest daily level on Day 5, suggesting a different pattern of demand. Whether Ramayana can find another opportunity to challenge Pushpa 2’s historic peak or Monday remains its biggest ticket-selling day is something that remains to be seen.
Ramayana Reaches 71.36 Lakh BMS Tickets Including Pre-Sales
The cumulative picture adds another dimension to the comparison. Ramayana has accumulated approximately 71,36,210 BookMyShow bookings through its first Monday, including around 10.6 lakh pre-release bookings. Dhurandhar 2, meanwhile, had approximately 66.80 lakh tickets sold during its first five theatrical days, excluding its considerably larger pre-sales base. Adding 24.10 lakh pre-sales takes the latter’s corresponding cumulative total to approximately 90.90 lakh.
Although Dhurandhar 2 still leads the five-day cumulative comparison by approximately 19.54 lakh tickets, the gap has narrowed considerably. Before Monday, its larger advance-booking base and consistently stronger opening three days had established a commanding advantage. Ramayana’s extraordinary holiday performance has reduced that deficit, leaving it only about 9% behind when pre-sales are excluded and theatrical-day bookings alone are compared.
Can Ramayana Maintain Its Momentum After the Holiday?
Ramayana now faces its first major post-Diwali weekday test, but its advance bookings offer encouraging signs. The film closed Day 6 advances at ₹49.53 crore gross (₹43.42 crore excluding block seats), nearly matching its opening-day advance of ₹50.08 crore gross (₹42.96 crore excluding block seats). Remarkably, Day 6 advances excluding block seats have even surpassed Day 1, suggesting strong audience demand despite the return to regular working schedules. The focus now shifts to walk-ins and whether the film can maintain its festive momentum.
