Key Insights
- Collider’s Steve Weintraub interviews director S.S. Rajamouli about Varanasi.
- The director shares insights on James Cameron’s remarks regarding RRR and the expectations for his upcoming film.
- Rajamouli elaborates on his filming techniques for IMAX and the unique aspects of the music in Varanasi.
Details about S.S. Rajamouli‘s forthcoming epic Varanasi remain limited. However, it is expected to be grand in scale, featuring the filmmaker’s signature slow-motion sequences, specific scenes shot for IMAX, and Rajamouli’s commitment to building on the success of his acclaimed 2022 film, RRR.
Featuring stars like Mahesh Babu (Pokiri), Priyanka Chopra-Jonas (Citadel), and Prithviraj Sukumaran (The Goat Life), the story follows a devotee of Shiva (Babu) on a quest to recover an ancient cosmic artifact. This journey through history is filled with challenges, as he discovers that his mission is orchestrated by a villainous mastermind intent on world domination. Rajamouli states, “It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.”
At the end of last year, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the opportunity to speak with the cast (which you can check out here) and the director in India after the first look at Varanasi. During their discussion, Rajamouli reveals his vision for the film, his experiences in Telugu Cinema, how he chooses impactful slow-motion shots, and what to expect regarding the film’s runtime. He also shares insights from James Cameron‘s comments on RRR, and how he plans to elevate his craft following that film’s success.
S.S. Rajamouli Shares James Cameron’s Response to ‘RRR’
“I was pinching myself to believe it.”
Image via Netflix
COLLIDER: I have a lot of questions about the movie, but I like throwing in a few fun questions at the beginning of all my interviews. What is your favorite Indian food, and what is in it?
S.S. RAJAMOULI: It’s called pothichoru. It’s basically a liquid form of lentils and rice. That’s home-cooked food, and I love it.
Is there something that you cook yourself?
RAJAMOULI: I never cook. I hate cooking. I only like eating.
We’re very similar. I’m wearing an Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirt. I know you’re a movie fan. Do you have a favorite Arnold movie?
RAJAMOULI: Who doesn’t? [Laughs] T2, Terminator 2, and I like True Lies a lot. A completely different kind of film from him. I love True Lies.
What’s funny is that both are James Cameron.
RAJAMOULI: Yeah.
I’m assuming James Cameron must have seen RRR.
RAJAMOULI: Yes.
I’m assuming you spoke to him?
RAJAMOULI: Yes.
I know that you got to meet a lot of Hollywood filmmakers when you were promoting. As such a fan of James Cameron and Spielberg, and all these people, what has it been like to be embraced by Hollywood and have these filmmakers that you look up to talk so highly of you?
RAJAMOULI: It was unreal for me. First of all, meeting him is unreal. Then, him talking about my film is something else. And then him talking about the details of the film, the characters of the film, the movements of the film, and how he and his wife watched the film, and he recommended my movie to his wife, and both of them are watching the film again, he watched it a second time? All that was like, “Is this true?” I was pinching myself to believe it. It was one of the happiest moments in my career.
Pinpointing ‘Varanasi’s “Peak” Emotional Beats
“This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”
After RRR, you’ve been able to do what you want to do for the last few movies, but did you feel any additional pressure or indecision about what you wanted to do after RRR, knowing that so many people around the world are very interested in what you’re going to do?
RAJAMOULI: No. The success of RRR definitely has no pressure on me. My pressure is that at the beginning of the film we always have two or three ideas that are interesting. So if I start focusing on one idea, I feel that I’m missing out on those two. If I go for another idea, I will feel that I’m missing out on this one. That’s the pressure I go through at the beginning of the film. The success of previous films like Baahubali, or any other film has never affected me.
How did you decide on this film being, “Yes, this is what I want to make?”
RAJAMOULI: It is very difficult to pinpoint and say, “Yes, this is the time,” or “This is the moment in story development that I felt like this is the work.” It’s a kind of process that goes back and forth. Also, it took a long time because at the same time I was also in L.A. promoting RRR. So I was doing that job there while coming back to India dabbling with story discussions before going back again. I don’t know exactly at which point I thought, “Yes, this is the film,” but I remember definitely having one moment when we had an emotional sequence leading up to where Rudhra, played by Mahesh [Babu], comes on a bull with dust flying around us. We thought, “This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”
I know this is very early; you’re in the middle of filming right now. The film’s not out for a long time, and I hate asking generic questions, but what do you want people to know about your movie and its themes?
RAJAMOULI: It’s about experience. It’s an experience that will transport you through unimaginably big worlds—not just in terms of scale but also in terms of emotions.
I admire how you use slow motion in your action sequences to enhance storytelling. How do you determine which shots should be in slow motion? Is it decided on set or during editing?
RAJAMOULI: Much earlier than that—before shooting or editing—I’ll decide which shots will be slow motion during writing itself. Those moments are peak emotional moments so they can’t be decided on set—they need prior planning.
S.S. Rajamouli Breaks Down His IMAX Strategy
“Why would I want to hide it?”
I love IMAX—it’s my favorite format—and you’re filming this movie for IMAX release as well! Can you share your decision-making process regarding this? Are you planning full-screen IMAX scenes like James Cameron’s films such as <em>Oppenheimer</em>? Are all scenes shot in full-screen IMAX?
RAJAMOULI: Select scenes will be shot in full IMAX format. Ideally, I’d prefer shooting entirely in IMAX but due to our timelines and being production company-based rather than studio-backed, it’s not feasible for us to shoot everything in IMAX format. Nonetheless, I enjoy moments where regular scenes transition into those gigantic worlds—it creates an incredible feeling.
The conversations with IMAX technicians revealed they could seamlessly transition between formats without viewers noticing cuts—suggesting methods for hiding those transitions—but I responded with “<strongWhy would I want to hide it?” My goal is to showcase something extraordinary as we shift from standard cinema scope into full IMAX format—this elation should be visible! During our teaser presentation at an event when we transitioned from cinemascope into full IMAX format there was an audience roar—I want to capture that excitement rather than conceal it.
I completely agree! When that shift happens during screenings it’s exhilarating! Regarding your teaser footage shown previously—what influenced your choice for those specific scenes over others?
RAJAMOULI: Back last October when my artist began sketching images based on our story concepts—I wanted audiences primarily focused on visuals rather than words—to convey what scale and scope they could expect from this film without verbal descriptions involved—just pure visuals! The selection process revolved around whether or not those visuals resonated with me personally—if they evoked feelings then they were included.
S.S. Rajamouli Aims for Another Epic Runtime
“It is always whatever is best for the story.”
I’m excited about your antagonist—a character with Dr. Octopus-like arms! Can you elaborate on him? Is he sci-fi or fantasy?
RAJAMOULI: It’s definitely not sci-fi—though it may appear so—it leans more towards fantasy/mythology genres instead! As for Kumbha—the antagonist—I’m known for crafting compelling villains who often overshadow protagonists.I truly enjoy working with antagonists!The intensity Prithviraj [Sukumaran] brings forth through his performance is remarkable—he conveys menace solely through facial expressions without relying much else!
I’m curious about runtime length—is there any particular duration you’re aiming for? Your previous films have varied widely!
If we consider past projects like RRR which ran just over three hours while others reached up towards three-and-a-half hours—my scripts typically suggest runtimes between two hours forty minutes up until three hours max! At present time frame estimates suggest Varanasi may fall slightly under three hours long!
If audiences aren’t engaged regardless if it’s two hours or three hours—they’ll lose interest regardless—so runtime shouldn’t matter if content captivates them emotionally!
‘Varanasi’s Songs “Won’t Be Anything Like” ‘RRR’
“We should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger.”
Image via Variance Films
The music from your previous work has gained immense popularity worldwide—can you share insights into how you’ll approach music composition differently this time around?
S.S RAJAMOULI: Each project presents unique challenges—we must avoid falling into traps where filmmakers replicate successful elements from prior works simply because audiences expect them! Instead focus should lie upon enhancing emotional highs rather than recreating past successes entirely.I envision Varanasi as an exploration into achieving those elevated emotional peaks without directly imitating RRR’s musical style!
If asked which sequences posed challenges thus far—I’d say current ones being filmed are among most technically demanding due combining multiple technologies together effectively while simultaneously tackling complex VFX tasks ahead!
The anticipated release date for Varanasi remains set globally for April 7th 2027!
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[nospin]Here you can find the original article which includes photos used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution.[nospin]
