&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Varanasi: SS Rajamouli explains why Mahesh Babu-Priyanka Chopra starrer is being shot in IMAX")
SS Rajamouli's Varanasi is one of the highly-anticipated films. With Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles, fans are eagerly waiting to watch it on big screens. In a recent interaction, the filmmaker has explained why he chose to have the film be shot on premium large-format IMAX.
Rajamouli on Varanasi being shot in IMAX
In an interaction with the French publication Tsounami, SS Rajamouli explained the main reason behind the decision of the movie being filmed in IMAX. According to Rajamouli, Varanasi includes sequences set in Antarctica alongside mythology-inspired visuals featuring towering vertical structures and grand landscapes.
Reportedly, Varanasi features colossal Antarctic ice formations towering nearly 300 feet (around 91 metres) high, along with massive armies (Vanara Sena) from the Ramayana. He explained that these scenes required a format capable of fully capturing their height and magnitude, making IMAX the natural choice. "The format is to encompass the scale," the filmmaker said, adding that the bigger screen helps present the world exactly as it was envisioned.
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The director also clarified that the decision to use IMAX did not change the story or the way scenes were conceived. Instead, the creative team always knew certain sequences would work best in the larger format. While the cinematography team handled the technical execution, Rajamouli focused on ensuring the visuals remained true to his vision.
About Varanasi
Varanasi, which will feature Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, has been generating buzz since its announcement. Varanasi, the Telugu-language action-adventure film, is being helmed by SS Rajamouli, who also co-wrote it along with V. Vijayendra Prasad and SS Kanchi. It is produced by S Durga Arts and a showing business.
Apart from Priyanka Chopra and Mahesh Babu, the film also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran. It is scheduled to be released theatrically on April 7, 2027, coinciding with the festival of Ugadi. It is the first Indian film and the first non-English language film to be shot in the 1.43:1 IMAX format.
