S.S. Rajamouli Interview: Varanasi, James Cameron's Reaction to RRR, and How He Does Slow Motion

There isn't a lot known, plot-wise, about S.S. Rajamouli's upcoming epic Varanasi. What we do know is that it's going to be epic in scale with the filmmaker's signature slow-motion beats, specific scenes filmed for IMAX, and Rajamouli's dedication to building on the success of his globally revered period adventure, 2022's RRR. Starring Mahesh Babu (Pokiri), Priyanka Chopra-Jonas (Citadel), and Prithviraj Sukumaran (The Goat Life), Varanasi follows a Shiva devotee (Babu), who embarks on a mysterious mission to retrieve an ancient cosmic artifact. To do so, he must travel through history, using clues to aid him on his journey. But along the way, our hero discovers that the one who sent him on this quest is an evil mastermind looking to control the world. According to Rajamouli, "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 pleasure of sitting down with the cast (which you can check out here) and the director in India, after the first-ever look at Varanasi. During their conversation, Rajamouli shares his vision for the final picture, what it's like working with Telugu Cinema, how he selects his impactful slow-motion shots, and choosing which sequences will be filmed for IMAX. The filmmaker also discusses what to expect as far as Varanasi's runtime, shares the comments from James Cameron on RRR, and how he's leveling up after that film's success. #ssrajamouli #rrr #varanasi #maheshbabu #priyankachopra For interviews, movie reviews, and more visit https://collider.com FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL   / collider     / collider     / collider