Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey may be dominating the cultural conversation and packing out the IMAX cinemas of this world just now, but while the boldest blockbuster filmmaker in the West is entrancing the masses with Cyclops, Sirens, and Circe, in the East another outsized action epic is getting ready to rock our world. Yes, S.S. Rajamouli — director of Telegu-language Tollywood juggernaut RRR (one of Empire‘s favourite movies of 2022) — is back back back next year with Varanasi, a sci-fi spectacular spanning multiple millennia and continents, from the Arctic to Africa to the titular Indian city bracing itself for an asteroid. Now, to mark co-lead Priyanka Chopra’s recent birthday, we have a fresh look at Rajamouli’s movie. Check it out below;
Set to star Telegu cinema superstar Mahesh Babu in the dual role of hero Rudhra and Hindu deity Rama, Chopra as the Rajamouli-described “kick-ass and vulnerable” Mandakini, and Prithviraj Sukumaran as central baddie Kumbha, Varanasi has been billed by its filmmaker as a proper globe-trotting epic — an Indiana Jones or James Bond level popcorn crowdpleaser with firm roots in Indian culture. And given Varanasi‘s trailblazing status as the first Indian — or indeed non-English-language — movie to be shot in the 1.43:1 IMAX format, and the first Indian picture set to be launched in over 120 countries around the world, you’d better believe Rajamouli intends to keep his word.
For a little more of a sense of Varanasi‘s epic scope and scale, check out this cool, concept art driven IMAX trailer released a few months ago below;
S.S. Rajamouli’s multigenerational, mythic epic Varanasi is set to launch in IMAX, Dolby Vision, and in cinemas globally on 7 April, 2027. We can only hope that if Rajamouli’s movie doesn’t have a Polyphemus, then it may at least have a moment where its hero stomps his foot to flip a motorbike and then promptly wields said two-wheeler as a valid weapon of mass kick-assery. C’mon, a boy can dream, right?
