Kalaripayattu changed the way I stand: Mahesh Babu on the physical prep to play Lord Ram

SS Rajamouli is known for demanding perfection, and for his latest epic Varanasi, Mahesh Babu underwent months of specialised training to bring the filmmaker’s vision to life. From six months of track-and-field training for just two shots to 90 days mastering Kerala’s Kalaripayattu, the actor recently spoke about the gruelling preparation for his dual roles as the mortal Rudhra and Lord Ram — parts he calls the most challenging of his career. “The training was originally planned for six weeks but was later extended to three months. Mahesh trained for about 90 minutes every day in traditional Kerala-style Kalaripayattu. We focused on vadivu postures such as mayura vadivu, which require balance, flexibility and control. The sessions were designed to improve agility and overall body conditioning,” said Kalaripayattu trainer Hari Krishna. Rajamouli on shooting Varanasi in IMAXExplaining the decision to shoot Varanasi in IMAX, director SS Rajamouli said the scale of the narrative demanded a larger format. “When we began designing the worlds of Varanasi — and I say worlds because the story travels across different realms — we realised it was essential to capture their grandeur,” he said. “The Ramayana portions and the Antarctica sequences are very tall and vertical in nature, and to do justice to that scale, IMAX was the obvious choice. It best aligned with our vision.”