IMAX worries rising for SS Rajamouli and his Varanasi team
SS Rajamouli‘s Varanasi is easily one of the most anticipated Indian films of 2027, but the film could face an interesting challenge in the form of Hollywood’s IMAX-heavy release calendar. Scheduled for release on April 7, 2027, Varanasi is being designed as a grand IMAX spectacle and is expected to rely heavily on premium-format screens across international markets.
The concern stems from the fact that Hollywood has already locked major IMAX releases around the same period. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova is slated for March 26, 2027, with an IMAX release, and other studio tentpoles are also expected to crowd the premium-screen space during the late March to mid-April corridor.
However, writing off Varanasi would be premature. Rajamouli has specifically crafted the film for the IMAX experience, with large-scale action sequences and visuals designed for the format. The film is also being promoted as one of India’s first movies made for the giant-screen experience, giving it a unique selling point.
While IMAX screen sharing may affect the film’s premium-format run in certain overseas territories, Varanasi’s advantage lies in its immense hype, Rajamouli’s global reputation after RRR, and Mahesh Babu‘s star power.
The real battle, therefore, is not about securing screens but about sustaining demand. If the content lives up to expectations, Varanasi could emerge as one of the rare Indian films capable of holding its own against Hollywood giants in the IMAX arena.
