Rajamouli's hope 1.43 IMAX for Hyderabad before 'Varanasi' releases

HYDERABAD: Tollywood's visionary director S.S. Rajamouli pulled back the curtain on his grand project 'Varanasi' at Ramoji Film City's 'GlobeTrotter' event, sharing not just the film's title but his bold IMAX ambitions.

The reveal unfolded in Hyderabad, a city and a country, ironically without a single 1.43 IMAX theatre, underscoring the striking contrast between cinematic innovation and local infrastructure.

S.S. Rajamouli's upcoming epic, 'Varanasi,' will be the second Indian film after 'Salaar' to be filmed using IMAX cameras, which capture images at higher resolution than standard cameras.

Further paying tribute to the late Superstar Krishna during the event, Rajamouli credited the veteran actor for his pioneering spirit in adopting new technologies for Telugu cinema. Building on that legacy, Rajamouli declared a new chapter. "Today, I am proud to say we are introducing a new format to Telugu cinema: a premium large-scale format, filmed for IMAX," he said.

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Rajamouli clarified that 'Varanasi' is not a standard film being post-converted for IMAX, a process where a regular film is digitally modified to fit IMAX screens. Instead, the film is being shot, mastered, and VFX-finished specifically for the 1.43 IMAX format to guarantee an unparalleled visual experience.

Technology leap

The confirmation was reinforced by

, Vice President of IMAX Corporation for the Asia-Pacific region. He announced that 'Varanasi', slated for a 2027 release, will feature sequences in the 1.43:1 aspect ratio, a much taller frame than most movie formats. This format, considered the gold standard of IMAX, reveals up to 40% more image on specially equipped 1.43 IMAX screens, which are larger than the more common digital IMAX theatres.

This detail has ignited a new conversation within the Indian film community. Taking to social media,

expressed a key hope, "I really hope that by the time #Varanasi releases or even before, we'll at least have a 1.43 IMAX screen in India and an IMAX in my land, Hyderabad."

His wish resonated with fans and experts alike. Film commentator

noted the rapid expansion of IMAX in India, crediting Daniel's efforts. "If I told anyone 3 yrs back that India will have 34 digital IMAXs by 2025, nobody would've believed," Tyagi wrote, adding, "Again, it might sound impossible for India to have a digital 1.43 IMAX by 2027, but we have trust in you."

The location of the announcement itself did not go unnoticed. As social media user

pointedly asked, "There's no IMAX in Hyderabad where the actual event took place, where this news was confirmed. Can we expect an IMAX in Hyderabad by 2027?"

The announcement of 'Varanasi' has transcended a mere film update. The race is now on to see if Indian audiences will have a venue worthy of experiencing 'Varanasi' in its full, intended glory by the time of its 2027 release.