Diwali 2026 Releases: New Movies in Theatres and on OTT

Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday 8 November, and the festive release slate starts this week on OTT before the big theatrical weekend of 5-6 November. Netflix has the busiest week, led by the Keerthy Suresh and Radhika Apte series Akka and Vijay Sethupathi’s Baththa, while theatres get Ramayana: Part 1, Nayanthara’s Mookuthi Amman 2 and a handful of smaller films.

Here is what is releasing where, with dates, so you can plan your Diwali watchlist.

In theatres: Diwali week (5-6 November)

1. Ramayana: Part 1 (5 November)

The biggest release of the season. Nitesh Tiwari’s film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Ram, Yash as Ravana and Sai Pallavi as Sita, and releases in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam, including IMAX 3D. Paid previews are planned for 4 November. Advance bookings have already crossed Rs 10 crore gross for day one, as per Sacnilk; our Ramayana Part 1 guide has the cast and story details.

Also readRamayana Advance Booking Crosses Rs 10 Crore, Runtime 3h 15m

2. Mookuthi Amman 2 (6 November)

Nayanthara returns as the goddess in Sundar C’s sequel, and the trailer shows her in a dual role as goddess and cop. The Tamil film is also releasing in Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi, with music by Hiphop Tamizha.

3. Lakadbaggha 2: The Monkey Business (6 November)

Anshuman Jha directs and leads this Hindi action sequel, with Sarah-Jane Dias and Adil Hussain in the cast.

4. Appa Kutty and Moon Walk (Tamil, 5-6 November window)

Two more Tamil films are slotted for Deepavali: M Maran’s Appa Kutty with Vijay Antony, and Manoj Nirmala Sridharan’s Moon Walk, which brings Prabhudheva and A R Rahman together again.

On OTT this week (27-31 October)

5. Akka (Netflix, 30 October)

A YRF Entertainment series set in the 1980s in Pernuru, a fictional kingdom run by women. Keerthy Suresh plays Bhavani and Radhika Apte plays Rudra, an outsider who threatens the balance of power. Dharmaraj Shetty writes and directs.

6. Baththa (Netflix, 29 October)

Vijay Sethupathi plays a feared gangster in 1980s North Chennai whose life changes after he meets a young boy. Directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, it streams in Tamil with Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam dubs.

7. Meethe Mein Kya Hai (Netflix, 30 October)

A Hindi family drama built around a Diwali gathering, starring Ritwik Bhowmik and Rohini Hattangadi. A good pick if you want something set during the festival itself.

8. How to Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents (Netflix, 30 October)

A three-episode comedy in which a couple’s engagement brings two very different families together days before Diwali. Rosemary Zimu and Kyle Clark lead the cast.

9. Sigma (Netflix, 30 October)

Jason Sanjay’s debut as director, starring Sundeep Kishan and Faria Abdullah, with music by Thaman. Streams in Tamil, with Telugu and Hindi options.

10. Immortal (SonyLIV, 30 October)

A Tamil romantic horror film with GV Prakash Kumar and Kayadu Lohar.

11. Rudravanam PS (ZEE5, 30 October)

A seven-episode Telugu crime series in which a sub-inspector investigates a headless body found in a village forest.

12. Obsession (JioHotstar, 30 October)

Curry Barker’s horror film, about a young man who uses a wish to make his childhood friend fall for him, streams in English and Hindi.

13. The One About Matthew Perry (Netflix, 27 October)

A three-part documentary on the Friends star’s life, struggles and advocacy work, directed by Mary Robertson.

Diwali box office: what to expect

This year’s festive box office is largely a one-film story. No major Hindi release sits on 30 October, and Ramayana: Part 1 opens almost unchallenged in India on the Thursday before Diwali, with Dhanteras on 6 November and the festival itself on Sunday 8 November.

Trade talk around the film’s opening ranges from Rs 60 crore to an ambitious Rs 70 crore India net, according to Sacnilk. Its reported runtime of 3 hours 15 minutes means fewer shows per screen each day, which puts more weight on premium IMAX and recliner tickets. In Tamil Nadu, Mookuthi Amman 2, Appa Kutty and Moon Walk will compete for the Deepavali crowd from 6 November.

Overseas, Ramayana shares IMAX screens with Godzilla Minus Zero, which opens in North America on 6 November.

Quick list by platform

Streaming dates come from the weekly lists published by Sacnilk and The Siasat Daily; platforms sometimes move titles by a day, so check the app before you settle in.

Planning the rest of the festival? See the Diwali 2026 date and Lakshmi Puja muhurat, and for later in the season, our list of upcoming Bollywood movies in November and December 2026.

Frequently asked questions