IMAX Corporation and Asian Cinemas have partnered to open three IMAX with Laser locations under Mahesh Babu’s AMB Cinemas brand, marking IMAX’s return to Hyderabad after Prasads IMAX closed in 2015. The first site at AMB Classic will open by late 2026, in time for SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu’s Varanasi to release in IMAX on April 7, 2027.
Fans of SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu's upcoming magnum opus, Varanasi, might be able to watch the film in the format it was meant for. On June 1, IMAX Corporation and Asian Cinemas announced an agreement for three new state-of-the-art IMAX® with Laser locations in India under the AMB Cinemas brand. Two of the new locations will be in Hyderabad, and the first location, at the AMB Classic in Hyderabad, will open before the end of 2026, with the two remaining locations planned for 2028.
This would mean the theatre would be ready before Varanasi's release in 2027. The official handle of Varanasi confirmed the exciting news for fans on X. "Experience #VARANASI in IMAX in HYDERABAD and worldwide on April 7th, 2027," the caption read.
“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,” said Sunil Narang and Bharat Narang, Managing Directors of AMB Cinemas, in a press note. “Our collaboration with IMAX brings us great joy and excitement. 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. We’re looking forward to this blockbuster collaboration.”
“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,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. “India is home to a vibrant cinema culture of innovative filmmakers and passionate audiences, all of whom are clamoring for more of The IMAX Experience — and this agreement will help grow our presence in one of the country’s most vital markets.”
The deal marks the return of IMAX to Hyderabad, which has been without an IMAX location since the iconic Prasads IMAX location, one of the first IMAX locations in India and a landmark for the Company’s international expansion, closed in 2015.