Ranbir Kapoor lived on the sets of his mythological tentpole for months, but his toughest critic remained at home. Hours after attending an industry screening in Mumbai, Alia Bhatt posted behind-the-scenes frames of Kapoor embracing daughter Raha between takes—a snapshot captured just ahead of the child's fourth birthday. Bhatt paired the set imagery with an unfiltered tribute to her husband’s gruelling physical transformation for the epic, writing that he poured everything into the production yet somehow preserved all his energy for his daughter. Her reaction bypassed standard studio promotional talking points to spotlight the human cost of mounting a two-part cinematic saga.
Cinema halls are bracing for an unprecedented footprint. The production opens worldwide in two standalone instalments, with the first chapter locking in a November 5, 2026 theatrical run ahead of Diwali, followed by the concluding chapter slated for Diwali 2027. Kapoor anchors the project alongside Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey, and Yash. Tuesday’s screening drew family and close collaborators, including Neetu Kapoor, offering an unvarnished preview of the visual effects and scale long teased by the production team.
Candid frames from the Mumbai screening hall caught Bhatt reclined in a theatre seat, hands clamped over her face in disbelief at an unspooling sequence. Surrounding viewers, equipped with 3D glasses, watched alongside filmmaker Amar Kaushik, who was seated directly in front of her row. Bhatt framed the production as an enterprise that superseded individual stardom, remarking that some stories dwarf everyone involved and that this particular cinematic vision belongs firmly in that tier. Industry eyes now shift to how director and crew navigate the technical execution when reel one finally hits public projection.
The multi-year schedule marks one of Hindi cinema's largest financial commitments to classical Indian lore. With post-production assets operating on double shifts to secure the November 5 date, trade distributors across Mumbai and South circuits expect pre-sales to test advance booking systems when ticket windows unlock.