Fans waiting to book tickets for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana were met with frustration on Dussehra. Advance bookings for the November 6 release were widely expected to open on October 20, but as the day wore on, ticketing platforms showed no available shows, and BookMyShow reportedly withdrew even the option to search for screens and timings. With under three weeks to release, the delay has sparked intense speculation about what is happening behind the scenes.

Expectations were high: the makers had signaled that advance bookings would open on Dussehra, giving fans first access to opening-weekend shows for one of Indian cinema's biggest-ever releases. Instead, by mid-afternoon on October 20, only one or two theatres briefly showed booking options before those too disappeared.

The film's team has not issued an official explanation, and requests for comment reportedly went unanswered at the time of reporting. But trade chatter quickly pointed to a commercial standoff rather than a technical glitch, and a subsequent report gave that theory a detailed shape.

According to a Bollywood Hungama report cited across trade media, the film's distributors are demanding 60 percent of box-office revenue in the first week, 50 percent in the second week, and 40 percent in the third. That is significantly above the industry's usual terms for big-budget films, which typically run 52.5 percent in week one, 45 percent in week two, and 37.5 percent in week three.

Exhibitors, understandably concerned about their margins on an expensive release, are said to be reluctant to accept the proposed terms, with negotiations currently underway. Until both sides reach a mutually acceptable agreement, the advance-booking window stays shut. None of the figures have been officially confirmed by either party.

Ramayana is not a routine release. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the mega-budget mythological epic stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, and Sunny Deol as Hanuman, with Amitabh Bachchan narrating. Mounted on a scale Indian cinema has rarely attempted, it is positioned as a global IMAX event, which is precisely why the revenue math matters so much to both sides.

The release timing amplifies everything. By arriving on November 6, coinciding with Dhanteras at the start of the Diwali festivities, the film secures an extended holiday window: a strong opening weekend, weekday boosts from Govardhan Puja and Padwa, and Bhai Dooj on November 11, followed by another full weekend. Few release dates in the Indian calendar are more valuable.

Adding intrigue, Japan's Godzilla Minus Zero is scheduled for the same November 6 worldwide release, with both films eyeing IMAX and other premium-format screens. The clash sets up a gods-versus-monsters showdown that trade watchers are already calling one of the most fascinating box-office battles of the year.

Some commentators argue no major release dares face Ramayana in India, predicting a near-total screen monopoly across premium formats during the Diwali weeks. Others note that premium-screen competition with a global franchise film is real. Either way, whoever controls the IMAX inventory in that window controls a meaningful share of the film's opening.

The most likely outcome is a negotiated settlement within days: both distributors and exhibitors have enormous financial incentive to get bookings open while advance-sales momentum is at its peak. Extended pre-sales are where event films build their opening-weekend records, and every lost day is lost revenue for everyone involved.

For now, the November 6 release date stands unchanged, and no official postponement has been suggested. Fans should watch official channels and major ticketing platforms for the booking window to reopen. When it does, expect it to move fast. This is a developing story, and the commercial terms will only become clear once the parties go on record.