Looking Ahead: Ramayana Part Two
Part One ends where many viewers say the epic truly begins. Jubliz looks at what the concluding chapter must deliver, who will step into the spotlight, and the growing question of when it will arrive.
Every great two part saga lives or dies by its second act. The Lord of the Rings needed The Return of the King. Baahubali needed The Conclusion. Ramayana's makers know that Part One is, in many ways, the overture. The most beloved chapters of the epic, the ones children act out in school plays and families re-enact in Ramlilas, all belong to Part Two.
Then: the chapters still to be told
In the traditional structure of the Valmiki Ramayana, Part One covers the Bala Kanda, the Ayodhya Kanda and the Aranya Kanda: Rama's youth, his marriage to Sita, the exile and the abduction. What remains is the heart of the legend:
- Kishkindha Kanda: Rama's alliance with Sugriva, the monkey king, and the first great meeting with Hanuman, the devotee who becomes his most faithful servant.
- Sundara Kanda: Hanuman's leap across the ocean, his discovery of Sita in the Ashok Vatika garden, and the burning of Lanka.
- Yuddha Kanda: the building of the bridge to Lanka, Vibhishana's defection, the awakening of Kumbhakarna, the battles with Meghnad, Hanuman's flight to bring the Sanjeevani mountain to save Lakshman, and the final confrontation between Rama and Ravana.
It ends with Rama's return to Ayodhya, the homecoming that Diwali itself celebrates. A release that ends at that moment would be one of the most resonant festival films ever made.
Now: how far along is it?
Ranbir Kapoor has given the clearest updates. In August 2026, he said the team was already 50 percent through shooting Part Two before Part One had even been released, explaining that it is a continuing story. He has also suggested that the epic is so vast it could have filled ten films, and that Part Two will be larger and more entertaining than the first.
Filming on the second part has been underway in Mumbai through 2026. In March, Sunny Deol was reported to be joining Ranbir Kapoor on the Part Two shoot, the chapter in which the epic's most famous friendship begins.
The release date question
The original plan, announced in November 2024, was Part One for Diwali 2026 and Part Two for Diwali 2027. That timing is now uncertain.
- The delay report. On 23 October, Bollywood Hungama reported that Part Two needs more shooting time, particularly for its large scale war sequences, and could move to Diwali 2028. A source quoted in the report said the true scale of Ramayana lies in the second part, where the war unfolds.
- The post-credit reveal. The same report said the new date could be announced in a post-credit scene of Part One, turning the end credits into an event of their own.
- The competing report. The Telegraph's t2 reported that 29 October 2027 had been shortlisted for Part Two, setting up a potential Diwali clash with Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit, starring Prabhas.
The makers have not officially confirmed any change. Jubliz readers should stay in their seats until the very last frame on 5 November.
The stars of the sequel
Part Two is where several members of the ensemble come into their own. Sunny Deol's Hanuman, limited to around 15 minutes in Part One, moves to the centre of the story. Kajal Aggarwal's Mandodari, Harish Uthaman's Vibhishana and Faisal Malik's Kumbhakarna gain much larger roles as Lanka takes over the narrative. Yash's Ravana, so magnetic in the first film, must now carry pride, desperation and tragedy all at once.
Most importantly, the sequel belongs to Sita. Her captivity, her defiance of Ravana and her unbroken faith form some of the most moving passages of the epic. Premiere viewers who felt Sai Pallavi was underused in Part One may find the second chapter is where her quiet power finally takes centre stage. Casting for key Kishkindha characters such as Sugriva, Vali and Angad has not yet been officially announced, which leaves room for surprises.
The technical summit
If Part One introduced the world, Part Two must conquer it. The bridge to Lanka, armies of vanaras, the burning city and a war of cosmic scale will test DNEG, the Rahman and Zimmer score and Hollywood stunt and movement specialists Guy Norris and Terry Notary more than anything in the first film. A delay to 2028, if confirmed, would give the effects team valuable time to perfect the most demanding sequences in the saga.
Next: a wider Ramayana universe?
The makers are already being linked to a larger franchise. Reports suggest Sunny Deol could lead a standalone Hanuman film after Ramayana, though nothing has been confirmed. With the sets, the effects pipeline and the cast already in place, spin-offs would be a logical step if Part One performs strongly. The tradition offers rich material, from Hanuman's own adventures to the later story of Lava and Kush, but no such projects have been announced.
Jubliz takeaway: Part Two is where Ramayana's mightiest set pieces live, and quite possibly where its reputation will finally be decided. A delay would buy craft and polish, but it would also test how long audiences are willing to wait after a cliffhanger. Either way, the story of Ramayana on screen is only half told.
