SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi shot in 1.43 IMAX: Will Telugu states finally get THIS premium screen? Filmmaker reacts

With the release of the title and the first glimpse of SS Rajamouli’s upcoming project Varanasi, fans have become extremely excited. But the action-adventure starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran has also sparked a debate and wave of anticipation across the nation. Will Telugu states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, finally get IMAX screens?

What's the debate?

At the launch event of Varanasi in Hyderabad on Saturday, filmmaker Rajamouli revealed that the movie has been shot entirely in a large-scale IMAX format, using the rare 1.43:1 aspect ratio, which he called “a new technology” for the Telugu cinema. Unlike his previous projects-Baahubali and RRR, which were filmed in CinemaScope and later converted, Varanasi is "being created for IMAX in the truest sense," Rajamouli said.

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Rajamouli reacts to no IMAX Screen in Hyderabad

After the grand event, social media was flooded with fans asking, "How will audiences in the Telugu states experience the film as intended?" Because at this point, India only has a handful of IMAX screens, mostly in metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi.

Replying to one X user who pointed out that Hyderabad doesn’t have even a single operational IMAX screen, Rajamouli said, "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."

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This statement quickly went viral, sparking speculation whether the film would push theatre chains to upgrade to IMAX-standard auditoriums in the region.

VP responds to the buzz

Amid the rising buzz about whether Hyderabad will get an IMAX screen before Varanasi releases, Preetham Daniel, Vice President of IMAX Corporation, directly replied to the fans on social media, saying, "We are absolutely trying."

He further added that IMAX had repeatedly reached out to Prasads, Hyderabad’s former IMAX theatre, but “received no response.” Reportedly, Prasads had earlier surrendered its IMAX license because of the high upgrade costs and market limitations.

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It is said that setting up the true IMAX 1.43:1 screen has several challenges, including huge financial investments, advanced projection and sound technology, and strict international certification.

Earlier producer-distributor Suneil Narang had also shown optimism about bringing IMAX back to the city, and he recently said, "I will try hard to bring back IMAX." At present, no theatre in the country supports IMAX 1.43:1 projection; only a few cities have standard IMAX screens.

Starring Mahesh Babu in his biggest-ever cinematic avatar, Varanasi has music by M.M. Keeravani. It is said to be released in 2027 or 2028.