Explained: Varanasi’s Aspect Ratio Plan That Made Fans Curious

SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi is once again making headlines, this time for its unique visual presentation. The film will be released in Cinema Scope with a 1:1.9 aspect ratio, while major portions will be shown in a wider 1:1.4 format. This clarification from Rajamouli has sparked a lot of discussion among moviegoers.

Many fans have been asking whether the film will have blackouts or black bars during these aspect ratio changes. The answer is clear: there will be no blackouts at all. Instead, the screen will smoothly expand whenever the film shifts from one format to another. This method ensures a seamless viewing experience without any distractions.

This technique has been used earlier in select formats, where the screen gradually expands as the ratio changes rather than cutting abruptly. In Varanasi, Rajamouli plans to start the film in scope, slowly expand the frame until the interval, and then repeat the same pattern from the second half all the way to the climax, as per the scenes and the way they have been shot.

For example, in 70mm GT IMAX, when the image shifts from 1.90 to 1.43, the transition needs to be perfect. If executed well, it can feel truly majestic. For other screens, the film will be presented in a fully filled container for both IMAX and CinemaScope. This bold visual experiment makes Varanasi a rare and exciting cinematic attempt.