Mumbai: In a significant technological boost for Indian cinema, filmmaker SS Rajamouli on Wednesday inaugurated the country’s most advanced Motion Capture facility at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad.
Named as A&M MoCap Lab, the state-of-the-art facility is a collaboration between actor Nagarjuna’s Annapurna Studios and producer Shobu Yarlagadda’s Mihira Visual Labs.
The lab is powered by Hollywood-based Animatrik Film Design, a global leader in motion capture technology.
Calling it a long-awaited milestone for domestic filmmakers, Rajamouli revealed that key sequences of his upcoming film ‘Varanasi’, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, were shot using the cutting-edge technology at the new facility.
Reflecting on his journey, the filmmaker said that when he looks back at films such as ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’, he realises how far Indian cinema has come in embracing advanced visual storytelling tools.
Industry insiders have described the unveiling as a defining moment in India’s creative and technological evolution.
Notably, Rajamouli had earlier launched India’s first Dolby cinema processing facility at Annapurna Studios, further cementing the banner’s role in pushing cinematic innovation.
“India has always had some of the world’s best technicians contributing to major global productions, but what we lacked was an advanced facility right here at home. When I look back at some of my previous films like Baahubali, Eega,
etc., I reminisce about how I could have made them even better if I had access to motion capture technology back then in India,” Rajamouli said in a press statement.
“With the introduction of A&M’s Motion Capture technology, that gap has finally been bridged. This will change how Indian filmmakers envision and execute their stories, as we will no longer need to outsource. I have visited several Motion Capture facilities across the world, but what A&M offers is the perfect blend of precision and performance. We utilised this facility in the making of crucial sequences in Varanasi, and the results were simply fantastic,” the filmmaker added.
The launch of the facility coincides with Annapurna Studios completing 50 years in Indian cinema, highlighting its sustained commitment to innovation and technological advancement.
Actor Nagarjuna termed the A&M MoCap Lab a transformative addition to India’s filmmaking infrastructure, noting that it would significantly enhance the scale and quality of visual storytelling in the country.
“For decades, Indian filmmakers have aspired to tell large-scale stories that match global standards, but access to high-end technology was often a limitation. At Annapurna Studios, our vision has always been to stay at the forefront of filmmaking technology by bringing creativity and innovation together. At a time when Indian cinema is reaching audiences across the world, we wanted to raise the bar even higher. With A&M, filmmakers can now bring everything from epic adventures to intricate science fiction dramas to life right here in Hyderabad,” Nagarjuna said, in a press statement.
Looking ahead, Annapurna Studios plans to collaborate with Indian and international filmmakers, game developers, and animation studios seeking a production partner in Asia capable of delivering world-class quality with speed and efficiency.