One private CinemaCon presentation has dramatically raised the stakes for Ramayana. What was already one of India’s most closely watched film events is now being hailed as the first Indian film positioned to break out globally on a true blockbuster scale, after veteran exhibition leader John Fithian publicly threw his weight behind Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part epic.
The endorsement followed closed-door meetings in Las Vegas, where international cinema operators were shown exclusive footage and briefed on the film’s release vision across key overseas territories. That industry-facing push has now become the story, giving Ramayana a powerful boost well before its Diwali 2026 release.
John Fithian’S Cinemacon 2026 Statement Changes The Conversation
Fithian, founding partner at The Fithian Group LLC, shared his reaction on LinkedIn after returning from CinemaCon 2026, where Ramayana was presented to major exhibition players. He wrote that he and his partners had not expected they would have the opportunity to collaborate with Namit Malhotra as Ramayana moves toward a worldwide release.
He then described what unfolded during the convention week. According to Fithian, leading theatrical exhibition companies from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Australia scheduled private meetings in the Ramayana presentation space, where they were shown unseen footage and introduced to new visual technologies and special effects tied to the film. He added that these conversations also focused on how the movie should be marketed, distributed and exhibited in international territories.
Fithian’s biggest takeaway was unambiguous. “Having witnessed those conversations, I can now predict that Ramayana (in two parts) will become the first Indian global theatrical blockbuster ever.”
How Ramayana Was Engineered For A Worldwide Big Screen Event
That confidence is closely tied to how Ramayana has been conceived from the start. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film is produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios and Yash’s Monster Mind Creations, in association with DNEG, the visual effects company that has won eight Academy Awards. The cast includes Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi, and the project is mounted as a two-part epic for an IMAX release worldwide.
The story draws from one of India’s most enduring epics and centers on the battle between Rama and Ravana, with the adaptation designed as a large-format theatrical event. That approach helps explain why exhibitors across several major territories engaged with the film so early in its campaign.
Part 1 of Ramayana is scheduled for Diwali 2026, with Part 2 planned for Diwali 2027. After the recently released glimpse drew attention for its visual design, soundscape and scale, Fithian’s endorsement has added something even more valuable ahead of release: early confidence from the people who decide how major films travel across global cinema markets and connect with audiences on the big screen.
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