SS Rajamouli has opened up about why his ambitious globe-trotting epic Varanasi is being filmed for the IMAX format, revealing that the larger frame was essential to fully capture the film’s breathtaking scale. Speaking to a French film magazine, the filmmaker said, “From 300-foot-high ice walls in Antarctica to gigantic armies of Ancient Rome, the scale is massive. We wanted to capture their immensity in the best possible way, and the IMAX ratio allowed us to do that.”
His comments underline how the film’s visual design was built around immersive large-format presentation rather than adapting it later. Rajamouli has previously explained that several key sequences have been specifically designed to take advantage of the expanded IMAX frame. These include the towering Antarctica episodes featuring massive vertical ice walls, large-scale Ancient Rome battle sequences with gigantic armies, and mythology-inspired portions that emphasize enormous structures and larger-than-life visuals.
The expanded IMAX aspect ratio allows these scenes to be presented with significantly more image at the top and bottom, enhancing the sense of scale and immersion that the director envisioned. Produced by K. L. Narayana, Varanasi stars Superstar Mahesh Babu in the lead alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, with music composed by M. M. Keeravani.
Touted as Rajamouli’s most ambitious film to date, the action-adventure spans multiple timelines and locations, including Antarctica, Ancient Rome, Africa, and the spiritual city of Varanasi. Scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on April 7, 2027, the film is also set to become the first Indian and first non-English-language film to be shot entirely in the full 1.43:1 IMAX format, marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema.
