With the Oscars set to recognise stunt design as a separate category from 2028, the craft behind some of cinema’s biggest action sequences could finally get the recognition it deserves.
SS Rajamouli ’s upcoming Varanasi appears to be taking that spectacle a step further, with producer SS Karthikeya teasing action sequences that he says will be unlike anything audiences have seen in RRR or Baahubali.
Last year, the first glimpse of the film was released, revealing that Mahesh Babu’s character Rudhra embarks on a time-travelling quest at the behest of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kumbha, before realising that he has ulterior motives. The Oscars are set to introduce a new Achievement in Stunt Design category, giving stunt professionals long-overdue recognition at Hollywood’s biggest awards ceremony. Kumbha is the antagonist of the film.
The award will debut at the 100th Academy Awards in 2028 and will be open to films released in 2027.
When asked how the stunts in Varanasi are shaping up following the Academy’s decision to introduce a stunt design category from 2028, Karthikeya said, “It’s going to be crazy and a different kind of action. Karthikeya further revealed that, after 25 years of working with Rajamouli, he has noticed that the filmmaker has only become more patient over the years. Not the kind of action that you saw in RRR or Baahubali. It’s a completely different kind of action, but you will be on the edge of your seat in every sequence. So let’s see. The producer also spoke about SS Rajamouli’s long-awaited dream project, Mahabharata. The category will recognise the creative and technical work behind a film’s action sequences, including stunt designers, coordinators, performers, choreographers and other specialists involved in bringing elaborate and dangerous sequences to life. Written by Vijayendra Prasad, Varanasi marks SS Rajamouli’s first film since the global success of RRR. Starring Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Priyanka Chopra, the film blends mythology and Indian folk tales with sci-fi elements such as time travel to create a globe-trotting adventure.
In an interview with Thyview, Karthikeya opened up about the action in Varanasi and revealed that the film will feature “crazy” and completely different sequences designed to keep audiences “on the edge of your seat”. He revealed that there has been no progress on the project yet, with Rajamouli continuing to say that he is “not ready” to take it on.
