Hyderabad, February 25 Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has unveiled the motion capture facility, A&M Mo Cap Lab, at Akkineni Nagarjuna's Annapurna Studios, and revealed that key sequences from his upcoming film "Varanasi," starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, were shot using the technology.
The lab, which the company is hailing as the most advanced motion capture facility in India, is the result of a partnership between Nagarjuna's Annapurna Studios and producer Shobu Yarlagadda's Mihira Visual Labs. The facility is powered by Animatrik Film Design, a leading motion capture technology partner from Hollywood.
The "RRR" director, who had previously launched India's first Dolby cinema processing facility at the studio, has now shared the first glimpse of the Motion Capture facility, highlighting how this technology is shaping the scale and ambition of Indian storytelling.
"India has always had some of the world's best technicians contributing to major global productions, but what we lacked was an advanced facility right here at home. When I look back at some of my previous films like Bahubali, Eega etc., I reminisce how I could have made them even better if I had access to motion capture technology back then in India," Rajamouli said.
"With the introduction of A&M's Motion Capture technology, that gap has finally been bridged. This will change how Indian filmmakers envision and execute their stories as we will no longer need to outsource. I have visited several Motion Capture facilities across the world, but what A&M offers is the perfect blend of precision and performance. We utilized this facility in the making of crucial sequences in Varanasi, and the results were simply fantastic," the filmmaker added.
Nagarjuna called the facility a major milestone in India's cinematic journey.
"For decades, Indian filmmakers have aspired to tell large-scale stories that match global standards, but access to high-end technology was often a limitation. At Annapurna Studios, our vision has always been to stay at the forefront of filmmaking technology by bringing creativity and innovation together. At a time when Indian cinema is reaching audiences across the world, we wanted to raise the bar even higher. With A&M, filmmakers can now bring everything from epic adventures to intricate science fiction dramas to life right here in Hyderabad."
Yarlagadda, who had backed the global blockbuster "Baahubali", said the collaboration was part of a long-term vision to build world-class filmmaking infrastructure in India.
"For Indian cinema to truly compete on a global stage, it is essential to create advanced technology ecosystems within the country," he said, adding that the facility brings together creative ambition and technological excellence.
Brett Ineson, President & CTO of Animatrik Film Design, which has provided its expertise in the making of blockbuster Hollywood films like "Avengers: Endgame" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home", said that it was India's turn to embrace high-end technology that facilitates the kind of grand storytelling that has been emerging from Indian filmmakers.
"This collaboration represents a significant step in enabling filmmakers and creators to tell more immersive, emotionally rich stories with the highest global standards."