Ramayana Clears the Censor Board With a ‘U’ Certificate and Zero Cuts — and a 3 Hour 15 Minute Runtime

Ramayana has cleared its final hurdle before release, and it has done so in rare style. The Central Board of Film Certification’s Examining Committee passed Nitesh Tiwari’s epic with a ‘U’ certificate and did not ask for a single cut or any audio or visual modification — not even the additional changes the board sometimes seeks, such as title and credit adjustments or an anti-drug ticker. The certificate was handed to the makers on October 30, less than a week before the film’s worldwide release. A ‘U’ rating means the film is certified fit for viewers of all ages, a significant point for a mythological epic that families will want to watch together over the festive weekend.

The certificate also settled one of the most-asked questions about the film: its length. Ramayana: Part 1 runs 195 minutes — three hours and 15 minutes — making it one of the longest Indian releases of the year and a deliberately unhurried telling of the first part of the epic. The Hindi version’s certification is the one confirmed so far, with the film releasing in five languages. Reports also suggest the North American release carries a PG-13 rating, with the international English-dubbed cut trimmed by roughly half an hour for Western multiplexes, though that detail has not been officially confirmed.

The clean certificate lands as anticipation reaches its peak. Ranbir Kapoor leads the film as Lord Rama, with Sai Pallavi as Sita, Yash as Ravana, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, produced by Namit Malhotra. Part 1 opens worldwide on Thursday, November 5, with previews in North America on November 4. After posters, a Los Angeles world premiere, a set fire and a storming advance booking, the censor board’s verdict is the last green light the film needed — and it came without a single note.