Imax Company and Asian Cinemas have struck a deal for 3 new Imax with Laser areas in India via the AMB Cinemas model – with the primary set to open at AMB Basic in Hyderabad, the luxurious cinema co-owned by Telugu celebrity Mahesh Babu, forward of the discharge of “Varanasi,” the S.S. Rajamouli-directed movie wherein Babu stars.
The deal arrives amid recurring hypothesis a couple of potential sale of Imax. Giovanni Dolci, chief business officer of Imax, declines to handle the reviews instantly however acknowledges the broader dynamic they mirror. “What you’re seeing is a function of Imax becoming more and more prominent, and quite honestly, a lot of cohorts paying way more attention to us than happened before,” he tells Selection. “International growth is certainly a driver of that attention and of that relevance.”
Two of the three new areas might be in Hyderabad – the capital of Telangana state and the hub of Telugu-language filmmaking. The AMB Basic venue is focused to open earlier than the tip of 2026, with two additional areas slated for 2028.
Hyderabad’s earlier Imax presence led to 2015 when the Prasads Imax location – among the many first Imax venues in India and a landmark within the firm’s worldwide enlargement – closed. Dolci says the the town’s absence was one Imax had lengthy been keen to handle. “Hyderabad is critical because it was one of the key cities where we didn’t have an offering,” he says. “We have a duty and a commitment to bring Imax to as many audiences as we can, and when I hear about people traveling hours to go to an Imax venue, part of me is happy because it’s underscoring the demand – but the other part of me is thinking, what the hell are we doing?”
The timing of the opening is deliberate. “Varanasi,” shot utilizing Imax-certified digital cameras, is among the many firm’s marquee releases for 2027. “We are targeting with Asian Cinemas the opening of the first location in Hyderabad to make sure that we can offer that experience to audiences there,” Dolci says.
Rajamouli’s final two movies, Academy Award winner “RRR” and “Baahubali: The Conclusion,” are the 2 highest-grossing Indian movies in Imax historical past globally. “S.S. Rajamouli is certainly one of our key global relationships now that spans way beyond India,” Dolci says.
“Hyderabad’s appetite and love for cinema is unparalleled, and bringing back the prestigious Imax format to Hyderabad is a matter of great honour and pride for AMB Cinemas,” mentioned Sunil Narang and Bharat Narang, managing administrators of AMB Cinemas. “AMB Cinemas is a brand that stands for quality and cinematic excellence – collaborating with Imax feels like the perfect step in our bid to continually provide our audiences with the best of the best.”
India has ranked amongst Imax’s high 10 markets for the previous decade, with the nation’s community increasing by practically 60% since 2020 to 34 open business areas at present, with at the least 4 extra anticipated to open this 12 months. The market posted its best-ever field workplace 12 months in 2025 at $25.6 million, together with practically $8 million from worldwide content material, and supported a report 11 Indian-language releases in Imax. Efficiency has continued to climb in 2026 – same-store areas have been up 44% year-on-year via the tip of April. “That’s even more surprising when you think that 2025 was already a record year,” Dolci says.
“2025 was our best year ever at the box office in India – powered by a dynamic slate of Hollywood and Indian films – and our strong performance is driving demand among new and existing exhibition partners in the region,” mentioned Wealthy Gelfond, CEO of Imax.
The 2026 slate contributing to that momentum contains “Dhurandhar 2” – the highest-grossing Indian title for Imax within the native market this 12 months – and “Project Hail Mary,” the fifth-biggest title available in the market to this point. The upcoming pipeline contains “The Odyssey” from Common/Syncopy and “Dune: Part Three” from Warner Bros./Legendary, alongside “Varanasi.”
Dolci attributes the expansion to a content material combine that crosses language strains slightly than counting on any single supply. “It’s about having a slate that appeals to as many audiences as possible, that is diverse, that offers many titles,” he says. “It’s not just about content, though – the quality of the locations and the growth of that have contributed to that success.”
The enlargement comes at a second when Dolci believes Imax is approaching an inflection level in India. The corporate has 10 extra areas in backlog past its 34 open venues however sees the market as able to supporting multiples of its present footprint. He factors to Japan’s 60-plus areas and China’s greater than 800 as reference factors. “I think we’re reaching a tipping point,” he says. “You have a slower steady growth until you reach a tipping point, and then that growth gets supercharged.”
A part of what drives that dynamic is a multiplier impact amongst exhibitors. As Imax spreads past tier-one cities, operators who as soon as thought of the format viable just for their high venues start to see it working throughout a broader vary of areas. Dolci describes the shift in exhibitor considering: the place operators as soon as assumed Imax was viable just for their high 5% of venues, they’re now discovering it really works throughout a a lot wider share of their portfolios.
The broader context is one wherein premium codecs have turn out to be a major argument for theatrical attendance in opposition to enhancing residence leisure. Dolci says the post-COVID interval bolstered slightly than undermined Imax’s place. “When you leave home, you want to be sure that you’re getting something that has clear tangible value,” he says. “I do believe that we are a guarantee of quality, a seal of approval.” He argues that Imax’s involvement throughout the total worth chain – from how movies are chosen for the format and shot, via post-production and advertising, to the auditorium know-how itself – is what permits the corporate to ensure audiences a constant expertise. “You could have the best possible auditorium, and you could have a person going in there to enjoy a movie, and it’s a terrible movie that has been shot badly, mixed in a terrible way – and that’s a problem,” he says.
Dolci additionally factors to a structural shift in how filmmakers strategy the format. Studios and administrators at the moment are securing Imax commitments so far as two years upfront, a marked change from even a number of years in the past. “Pretty much everybody knows who we are and what we do,” he says. “We have filmmakers and studios coming to us to secure a project for 2028 – two years away – which tells you that they’re thinking more and more with Imax in mind.”
On the five-year horizon, Dolci sees India climbing steadily throughout the international Imax rating, pushed by each community development and the rising worldwide attain of Indian content material. “The market is generating already incredible grosses with only 34 locations,” he says. “When we will multiply that number – because trust me, we will – it will become even more relevant.” He provides that filmmakers like Rajamouli carry an impact past their very own output. “Talent like Rajamouli is not just about themselves – they inspire new generations of talent and filmmakers.”
All three new AMB Cinemas areas might be geared up with Imax with Laser, the corporate’s most superior presentation system, delivering 4K photos, proprietary audio, and a customized optical engine.
AMB Basic is a joint partnership of Asian Cinemas – managed by Sunil Narang, Bharat Narang, Jyesth Narang and Simran Narang – together with Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni, Venkatesh Daggubatti, Suresh Daggubatti, and Rana Daggubatti.
