According to Slashfilm’s interview, S.S. Rajamouli announced that the IMAX action sequences for his upcoming film ‘Varanasi’ are fully complete, with only the interconnecting scenes left unfinished. This progress shows a key milestone in the film’s production and confirms the complex hefty-format action scenes for IMAX viewing are done. Rajamouli’s focus on immersive cinematic experiences sets the production apart, making the wide-scale IMAX sequences a standout feature. The director highlights his commitment to pushing the boundaries of Indian cinema.
Rajamouli shared in Times of India, “‘Baahubali’ is inspired by Indian mythology, all of you know that,” situating the Baahubali saga deeply within India’s epic storytelling roots. He also emphasized how India currently views animation mostly as a children’s medium. He’s working to change this perception through‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’, an animated film continuing the Baahubali narrative.
Slashfilm quoted Rajamouli reflecting on IMAX’s influence: “For me, 15 years back when IMAX […] built a theater here in Hyderabad, the first IMAX cinema.” This local milestone inspired his commitment to expand IMAX storytelling in Indian cinema, connecting his early experiences to today’s ambitions.
Rajamouli described ‘Varanasi’ as a direct adaptation of the Ramayana, designed specifically with IMAX screens in mind, per Times of India.
During a break from the intense work on ‘Varanasi’, Rajamouli attended an animation festival in France, engaging with fans and sharing new insights about ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’.
Industry context and technological ambition
The completion of the IMAX action scenes for ‘Varanasi’ places Rajamouli among Indian filmmakers who embrace premium technology to expand storytelling. The industry is investing more in IMAX and big-format tech to attract audiences both domestically and abroad, per Times of India. Rajamouli hopes India will soon have a 1.43:1 IMAX screen to fully display ‘Varanasi’s visual scale.
Implications for Indian cinema
Rajamouli’s announcement about finishing IMAX action signifies that ‘Varanasi’ is entering its final post-production phase, accelerating the film’s release timeline, according to Slashfilm. Completing costly large-format sequences early helps reduce scheduling risks and budget overruns. This allows the team to focus on filming and editing the interconnecting scenes that unify the story. The film’s planned use of a 1.43 IMAX screen sets new technical and artistic standards for Indian mythological cinema.
Upgrading IMAX infrastructure, including installing a high-ratio screen in Hyderabad, would support Rajamouli’s vision and improve the overall exhibition quality for audiences nationwide.
Upcoming milestones and industry watchpoints
The next primary phase for ‘Varanasi’ is finishing the interconnecting scenes linking the IMAX action sequences. The film’s public release date, soon to be announced, will reflect the progress in post-production and signal confidence in the final product. Industry watchers will see this as a readiness signal. The installation of a 1.43 IMAX screen in Hyderabad will further influence the film’s presentation and audience experience, Slashfilm reports.
Meanwhile, ‘Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1’ continues its production, including collaboration with a Japanese animation studio and new voice cast announcements.