3 weeks ago
India's 34 IMAX Screens: Rajamouli's Varanasi Sparks Premium Revolution
Imagine watching a movie on a giant screen so big it wraps around you - that is what IMAX offers.
A big new movie called The Odyssey came to India, and many people wanted to see it on those giant screens.
But India has only 34 IMAX screens, so there were not enough for everyone who wanted that special experience.
The theater company PVR INOX says building one IMAX screen costs about 10 to 11 crore rupees.
It believes India needs more local movies made for IMAX - in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu - before building more screens.
Famous director SS Rajamouli is making a huge movie called Varanasi using special IMAX-approved cameras.
Another producer, Namit Malhotra, says this is a chicken-and-egg problem: filmmakers want more screens, and theaters want more movies.
Shooting for IMAX is hard because the cameras are heavy and loud, and the giant screen shows every tiny detail.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur says IMAX is too expensive for normal-budget Indian films right now.
But new technology, like artificial intelligence, might one day make it possible to show almost any film in IMAX.
SS Rajamouli's Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, is one of the non-English films shot using IMAX-certified digital cameras.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey boosted IMAX demand in India but exposed a shortage, as the country has only 34 IMAX screens.
PVR INOX Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli says each IMAX screen costs around Rs 10-11 crore to set up and that more Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu content is needed to justify investment.
DNEG Global CEO Namit Malhotra, producer of the IMAX-filmed Ramayana, calls the situation a chicken-and-egg problem between filmmakers and exhibitors.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur says IMAX is currently too expensive for normal-budget Indian films, but AI technology may make multi-format releases, including IMAX, possible.
- Who
- Filmmakers SS Rajamouli, Shekhar Kapur, and Namit Malhotra, plus PVR INOX Executive Director Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, are leading the discussion; Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra.
- What
- India's shortage of IMAX screens (only 34) and the debate over whether more local films made for IMAX can drive expansion of the premium format.
- Where
- India.
- When
- Not explicitly stated; the discussion follows the recent Indian release of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which boosted IMAX demand.
- Why
- The strong performance and demand for The Odyssey in IMAX highlighted the country's screen shortage, creating a chicken-and-egg problem where exhibitors want more local IMAX content and filmmakers want more screens.
Exhibitors' Perspective
Filmmakers' Perspective
Who should move first on IMAX?
Exhibitors' Perspective
PVR INOX's Sanjeev Kumar Bijli argues that more local Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu films made for IMAX are needed before exhibitors feel comfortable investing in the expensive format.
Filmmakers' Perspective
DNEG's Namit Malhotra argues that filmmakers need more premium screens to gain confidence for bigger bets, calling it a chicken-and-egg situation where both sides must take risks.
Is IMAX affordable for Indian films?
Exhibitors' Perspective
Exhibitors point out that IMAX is expensive technology, with each screen costing around Rs 10-11 crore, so expansion must be carefully justified by strong film performance.
Filmmakers' Perspective
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur says IMAX is currently too expensive for normal-budget Indian films and that emerging AI technology may be needed to make multi-format releases, including IMAX, affordable.
Key facts
- IMAX screens in India
- 34
- Estimated cost per IMAX screen
- Rs 10-11 crore
- Film shot with IMAX-certified digital cameras
- Varanasi, directed by SS Rajamouli
- Varanasi cast
- Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra
- Hollywood film that boosted IMAX demand
- The Odyssey (Christopher Nolan)
- Other IMAX-filmed Indian production
- Ramayana, produced by Namit Malhotra (DNEG)
- Exhibitor voice
- Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR INOX
- Filmmaker voices
- Namit Malhotra (DNEG), Shekhar Kapur
Quotes
Sanjeev Kumar Bijli
Executive Director of PVR INOX
“We need more Hindi and regional filmmakers, that is, Tamil and Telugu filmmakers, to make IMAX-worthy films. If we have more content, then I think we’ll be more comfortable investing in the IMAX format”
NDTV
“I think IMAX, or the big premium-screen experiences that we talk about, are really the need of the hour”
NDTV
Sources
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