Avatar 3’s underperformance: Rajamouli under pressure?

SS Rajamouli is currently working on the biggest and most ambitious film of his career. Titled “Varanasi,” the project is being positioned as his first truly global film, aimed squarely at international audiences. The film reportedly blends time travel with Ramayana mythology, packaged as a globe-trotting adventure inspired by a classic Hollywood template, reimagined with a modern and Indian sensibility.

While Rajamouli is sparing no expense in mounting the film on a massive scale, industry circles are buzzing with speculation that the director has been closely watching the global response to James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” aka Avatar 3.

Despite opening at the top of the worldwide box office with an impressive $345 million weekend, the film’s word-of-mouth has been underwhelming, especially in the crucial Indian market, where it hasn’t generated the kind of excitement its predecessors did. Though the film is expected to cross the $1 billion mark, appreciation from Indian audiences remains muted.

This trend has reportedly caused some concern for Rajamouli.

Changing Audience Preferences

If even Cameron’s technically staggering and visually overwhelming spectacle is failing to fully impress Indian audiences, it raises questions about how much visual grandeur alone can drive repeat viewership today. Rajamouli, too, is investing heavily in cutting-edge visual effects, but audience tastes appear to be shifting.

Recent successes like “Animal” and “Dhurandhar” have clearly demonstrated that viewers are increasingly gravitating toward intense drama, strong emotions, and compelling narratives, rather than being wowed solely by scale and visual spectacle. The era where grand visuals guaranteed audience applause may be slowly fading.

For Rajamouli, this could mean a crucial recalibration. While “Varanasi” will undoubtedly be a visual spectacle, the filmmaker may need to place greater emphasis on drama and emotional depth this time around, ensuring that the film resonates beyond its technical brilliance.