Nitesh Tiwari's much-awaited 'Ramayana: Part 1' has finally arrived in theatres worldwide, opening to considerable excitement ahead of the Diwali weekend. Mounted on a reported budget of Rs 1,600 crore, the Ranbir Kapoor and Yash starrer is being touted as the most expensive Indian film ever made. The advance booking were strong hence the expectations from the day 1 of the box office are higher. But apart from the advance collections, the box office fate of the film will largely depend on good word of mouth which may lead to growth during the upcoming long Diwali weekend.The film has witnessed strong footfalls during Thursday morning shows, with several theatres reporting houseful screenings across the country. While its advance sales have not matched the extraordinary numbers recorded by 'Dhurandhar 2' earlier this year, 'Ramayana' is heading towards a potentially record-breaking opening.According the Sacnilk, the film has collected Rs 28.82 crore net in India by 2 pm on its opening day. The Hindi version has emerged as the biggest contributor so far. Interestingly, despite Yash playing Ravana, the Kannada version has started on a relatively slower note, contributing Rs 3.22 crore. The Telugu version has also registered a decent performance, while the Tamil and Malayalam versions have contributed smaller amounts. These figures are provisional and may change as the day progresses. 'Ramayana' box office collection Day 1 LiveIndia net collection Rs 28.82 Cr 'Ramayana' targets Rs 70 crore opening, eyes 'Dhurandhar 2' record Considering its strong advance bookings and opening-day response, 'Ramayana' is expected to cross the Rs 70 crore net mark in India. If it achieves this, the film will surpass the opening-day collections of several major releases, including Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan' (Rs 57 crore), Ranbir Kapoor's 'Animal' (Rs 63 crore) and Ajay Devgn's 'Drishyam 2' (Rs 62 crore).The film will also be looking to challenge the Hindi opening-day collection of Shah Rukh Khan's 'Jawan', which earned approximately Rs 75 crore. However, its biggest benchmark remains Ranveer Singh's 'Dhurandhar 2', which set the all-time opening-day record with Rs 102 crore net in India earlier this year. The comparison with these films is based on their India net collections. Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app. Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!