The short answer
We have not seen the film, and the makers have not released a scene-by-scene account, so nobody can honestly list its changes yet. What can be said now is what the original texts contain, so you know what to look for. We will add a film-versus-book comparison after release, under “Updates” below.
The main versions of the story
| Valmiki Ramayana | Ramcharitmanas (Tulsidas) | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Sanskrit | Awadhi, written in the 16th century |
| Structure | Seven books (kandas), about 24,000 verses: Bala, Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha, Sundara, Yuddha and Uttara | Seven books (kandas) in a devotional telling |
| Ram | A heroic prince, also regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu | Centred on devotion (bhakti) to Ram as God |
| Ending | The Uttara Kanda covers Sita’s later exile and Ram’s last years | Closes after the return to Ayodhya and the coronation |
Many other tellings exist across India. Telugu readers know the Ranganatha Ramayanam and the Molla Ramayanam, and Tamil readers the Kamba Ramayanam.
What to watch for in Part 1
- Where Part 1 stops. Reports say Nitesh Tiwari has confirmed a cliffhanger ending for Part 1, and Part 2 is dated for Diwali 2027.
- Ravana’s story. Early reaction to the trailer praised Yash’s Ravana, so how much screen time and back story he gets will be a talking point.
- Hanuman. Sunny Deol’s Hanuman is absent from the trailer.
Also read: the film vs the 1987 serial and the release date and cast guide.
Updates
- 29 Oct 2026 Published before release. We will compare the film with the texts after it opens.
We update this page as more is confirmed.