For years, Hyderabad’s iconic Prasads Multiplex was home to the only IMAX screen in the Telugu states. For cinephiles, it wasn’t just a cinema, it was a pilgrimage.
Watching a film there meant complete immersion, with towering visuals and earth-shaking sound. It was the closest the city came to Hollywood-style spectacle.
Also Read – Tamil Cinema Has 1, Telugu Has Many!
But that golden chapter ended when the IMAX contract either quietly lapsed or was deliberately discontinued. What followed was silence. Hyderabad, despite being one of India’s biggest film markets, was left without a single IMAX screen.
Movie lovers were heartbroken. Hope lingered, but year after year, nothing changed.
Also Read – Box Office: Bought For 30 Cr, Collected 1 Cr
Meanwhile, IMAX technology evolved rapidly. The company introduced newer standards, more immersive sound systems, and closer partnerships with filmmakers. Setting up a new IMAX screen now demanded serious investment and strict technical precision.
Many theatres hesitated. Even Prasads, instead of renewing its IMAX partnership, launched its own format, PCX — a large-screen experience that echoed IMAX in some ways but didn’t quite capture the magic.
Also Read – Deepika Gets Taste Of Telugu Twitter Yuvatha!
And while Hyderabad stood still, other cities surged ahead. Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi NCR now have multiple IMAX screens. Even Tier 2 cities like Coimbatore and Indore are catching up.
Adding to the pain, Indian filmmakers are embracing IMAX like never before. Bollywood blockbusters, sci-fi spectacles like Kalki 2898 AD, and even regional films are now being shot with IMAX-certified cameras.
Audiences across the country are enjoying these films the way they were meant to be seen — except Hyderabadis.
The city’s moviegoers missed out on the full IMAX experience of Kalki, and many are already anxious about what’s next. SS Rajamouli’s upcoming global-scale film SSMB29, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, is reportedly being shot entirely in the IMAX format. But where will Hyderabadis watch it?
Finally, there’s a glimmer of hope.
According to Asian Group’s Suniel Narang, discussions are underway to bring IMAX back to Hyderabad.
The group is planning to install a new screen in the Hakimpet area within the next two years. If all goes well, Hyderabad will once again reclaim its rightful place on the IMAX map.
For a city that breathes cinema, this could be more than just a new screen. It could be redemption. And for Telugu cinema, which continues to break new ground in scale and storytelling, it’s a much-needed homecoming.
Because a city like Hyderabad deserves more than a workaround. It deserves the real thing.
