IMAX Corporation and Asian Cinemas have signed an agreement for three new IMAX with Laser facilities in India through the AMB Cinemas brand. The first set will open at AMB Classic in Hyderabad, a premium cinema co-owned by Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, ahead of the release of SS Rajamouli’s film ‘Varanasi’, starring Babu.
The deal comes amid repeated speculation about a possible sale of Imax. Giovanni Dolci, IMAX’s chief commercial officer, declined to address the report directly, but acknowledged that it reflected broader trends. “What you’re seeing is that Imax features are becoming more and more prominent and, to be honest, a lot of our fellow countrymen are giving us a lot more attention than they used to,” he told Variety. “International growth is certainly the driver of that attention and relevance.”
Two of the three new locations are located in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state and the center of Telugu film production. The AMB Classic venue is scheduled to open by the end of 2026, with two more scheduled to open in 2028.
Hyderabad’s previous Imax operations ended in 2015 when the Prasads Imax facility, one of India’s first Imax venues and a landmark in the company’s international expansion, closed. Dolch says the city’s absence has been an issue IMAX has been grappling with for a long time. “Hyderabad is very important because it was one of the major cities that we didn’t have anything to offer,” he says. “We have an obligation and a commitment to bring Imax to as many audiences as possible. When you hear stories of people traveling for hours to get to Imax venues, there’s a part of you that’s happy because you realize the demand is growing, but the other part of you is wondering what the hell we’re doing.”
The timing of the opening is intentional. Shot using Imax certified digital cameras, ‘Varanasi’ is one of the company’s marquee releases of 2027. “We are working with Asian Films to open our first location in Hyderabad and are ensuring that we can offer that experience to the audience in Hyderabad,” says Dolch.
Rajamouli’s last two films, the Academy Award-winning RRR and Baahubali: The Conclusion, are two of the highest-grossing Indian films in Imax history worldwide. “SS Rajamouli is certainly one of our key global relationships now, far beyond India,” says Dolch.
“Hyderabad’s appetite and love for cinema is unparalleled and it is a great honor and pride for AMB Cinemas to bring back the prestigious Imax format to Hyderabad,” said Sunil Narang and Bharat Narang, Managing Directors of AMB Cinemas. “AMB Cinemas is a brand that stands for quality and cinematic excellence. Our collaboration with Imax feels like the perfect step in our commitment to continue bringing the best films to audiences.”
India has been ranked in Imax’s top 10 markets for the past decade, and the country’s network has expanded by nearly 60% since 2020, with 34 open commercial properties now and at least four more expected to open this year. The market set an all-time box office success of $25.6 million in 2025, including nearly $8 million from international content and supported a record 11 Indian language releases on Imax. Performance continued to rise in 2026, with same-store store count increasing 44% year-on-year by the end of April. “It’s even more surprising when you consider that 2025 was already a record year,” Dolch said.
“2025 was the best year ever for the box office in India, driven by dynamic screenings of Hollywood and Indian films. Our strong performance is driving demand among new and existing exhibition partners in the region,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
Contributing to this momentum, the 2026 slate includes “Dhurandhar 2,” the highest-grossing Indian title for Imax in the local market this year, and “Project Hail Mary,” the fifth-biggest title in the market to date. In addition to “Varanasi,” upcoming projects in the pipeline include “The Odyssey” from Universal/Syncopy and “Dune: Part Three” from Warner Bros./Legendary.
Dolch attributes the growth to a combination of content that transcends language boundaries, rather than relying on a single source. “It’s important to have titles that are diverse and offer a large number of titles that appeal to as wide an audience as possible,” he says. “But it’s not just about the content. The quality of the location and its growth contributed to its success.”
The expansion comes at a time when Dolch believes Imax is nearing a tipping point in India. The company has a backlog of 10 additional locations in addition to its 34 open venues, but believes the market could support several times its current locations. He cited more than 60 locations in Japan and 800 locations in China as reference points. “I think we’re reaching a tipping point,” he says. “There will be slow and steady growth until a tipping point is reached, and then the growth will accelerate.”
One of the factors driving this momentum is the synergy between exhibitors. As Imax spreads beyond Tier 1 cities, operators who once thought the format was only viable in their top venues are realizing that Imax works in a wider range of locations. Dolch explains the change in mindset among exhibitors. Operators once believed that Imax was only effective in the top 5% of their venues, but now they know Imax is working in a much wider share of their portfolio.
In a broader context, premium formats are the main argument against improving home entertainment to increase attendance at theaters. Dolch said the post-COVID-19 period has strengthened IMAX’s position, rather than hurting it. “When you leave home, you want to make sure you have something of tangible, tangible value,” he says. “We believe in quality and being a stamp of approval.” He argues that IMAX’s involvement in the entire value chain, from how film formats and shooting methods are selected, through post-production and marketing, to the auditorium technology itself, allows the company to guarantee a consistent experience for audiences. “Even if you had the best possible auditorium and people could go in there and enjoy the movie, it was a terrible movie that was badly shot and mixed in a terrible way. That’s the problem,” he says.
Dolch also points to a structural shift in how filmmakers approach the format. Studios and directors are now securing Imax deals for up to two years in advance, which is a marked change from even a few years ago. “Most people know who we are and what we do,” he says. “Filmmakers and studios are coming to us to secure projects for two years to 2028, and this tells us that they are increasingly thinking with Imax in mind.”
In his five-year outlook, Dolch sees India steadily moving up within the global Imax rankings, both due to network growth and the international spread of Indian content. “This market is already incredibly profitable with just 34 stores,” he says. “If we increase that number, believe me, we will, it will become even more significant.” He added that filmmakers like Rajamouli have an impact beyond their own work. “Talents like Rajamouli are not just their own, they inspire a new generation of talent and filmmakers.”
All three new AMB cinema locations will be equipped with the company’s state-of-the-art presentation system, Imax with Laser, delivering 4K images, unique audio and a custom optical engine.
AMB Classic is a joint partnership between Asian Cinema, run by Sunil Narang, Bharat Narang, Jest Narang and Simran Narang, and Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni, Venkatesh Daggubati, Suresh Daggubati and Rana Daggubati.
