Ramayana vs Varanasi: Who Will Deliver True IMAX?

Two of India’s biggest upcoming films, Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana and SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, are coming up in the next two years. The excitement is not only because of their star casts and ambition. It is also because both films are being shot for IMAX. This has led to a heated debate on social media about which movie will offer a true IMAX experience. It has also created confusion about which one will rely on a converted format.

At the Varanasi event, SS Rajamouli clearly stated that his film is being shot directly for IMAX. It will not be converted later. He explained that earlier films like Baahubali and RRR were screened in the IMAX expanded 1.90:1 format. Varanasi will go beyond that. He also expressed hope that India will have at least one 1.43:1 IMAX screen by the time the film releases. This is the format used in Hollywood films like Oppenheimer. His statement made many Mahesh Babu fans believe that Varanasi is India’s first film to truly embrace the giant 1.43 IMAX format.

Ramayana is also being filmed using IMAX certified technology. The makers have not publicly shared technical details. Industry reports suggest that the film will include some really good sequences shot in 1.43 IMAX. With its huge sets, heavy visual effects work and long term planning, the film is also being designed for a large format theatrical experience.

Experts point out that shooting an entire film in 1.43 IMAX is extremely rare. It is also extremely expensive. Even Hollywood usually shoots only selected sequences in that ratio. Because of this, both Ramayana and Varanasi are expected to use a hybrid IMAX approach. They will combine 1.43 scenes, 1.90 scenes and standard widescreen scenes.

One thing is certain. Indian cinema is entering a new era of large format filmmaking. Whether it is Rajamouli’s Varanasi or Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, audiences are about to experience visuals that are larger and more immersive than anything seen before.