‘Varanasi’ update: Rajamouli wraps IMAX action scenes; shoot to complete by October

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has shared a major production update about his upcoming film 'Varanasi'. The director, who is currently filming his ambitious Rs 1,400 crore film, took a break from production to head to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where he shared updates about the schedule and more.Rajamouli confirms 'Varanasi' action scenes completedSpeaking to Variety, Rajamouli confirmed that all of the movie's large-scale IMAX action sequences have now been filmed and shared that the film is progressing at a steady pace. Sharing an update about the film, he shared, "What I can say is we have completed a major portion of the shoot, all the important big spectacle action sequences are done. We are (now) into doing the smaller, interconnecting scenes so hopefully, by September, maybe a little bit into October, we should be finishing shooting."Rajamouli on shooting in IMAXRajamouli also clarified that the decision to shoot the film starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, for IMAX did not alter his creative vision. He said, "From the beginning, we knew the sequences that were conceived would be best justified in [the] IMAX format – we didn't change anything just for the format."The director previously revealed that the towering, vertical aspects of the epic 20-minute Ramayana battle scene, demand a larger format to encompass the true scale and scope of the sequences and the mythological settings. Hence, the team decided to go ahead by shooting the film in IMAX.'Varanasi' release dateThe upcoming time-travel film is slated for release in April 2027. As per reports, the film, with its budget crossing Rs 1,000 crore, is said to be one of the most expensive films ever made in India.Rajamouli's previous films, including RRR and the Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion blockbusters, have been widely credited with pushing the scale and ambition of Indian cinema.Read the latest Entertainment News and Celebrity updates. Download the TOI App.