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Celebrated filmmaker SS Rajamouli recently had a rare and special cinematic experience, watching Avatar: Fire and Ash even before its release and ahead of audiences in India. The RRR director virtually connected with James Cameron to promote the upcoming film and revealed that he was possibly the first person from India to have seen the third instalment of the blockbuster Avatar franchise.
Clearly delighted, Rajamouli thanked Cameron for the exclusive preview and spoke at length about what stayed with him after the screening.
What made Rajamouli’s Avatar 3 viewing special?
Expressing his gratitude, Rajamouli said he felt honoured to watch the film ahead of its global release. “I would like to thank you because you made me the first person, or probably the only person, among 1.45 billion Indians to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash. That feels very special,” he said during the interaction.
The filmmaker didn’t hold back while praising Cameron’s cinematic vision, calling the experience joyful and immersive from start to finish.
How did Rajamouli react to the visuals and new characters?
Rajamouli described Fire and Ash as a visual spectacle and applauded the complexity of its action sequences and characters. “Watching Fire and Ash was an absolute pleasure. Hats off to you for creating those complex sequences, visuals and characters,” he said.
Sharing his excitement, he added that he felt like a child in the theatre while watching the new worlds unfold on screen. The Wind Traders, the Ash People and several new characters left a strong impression on him, with Varang emerging as one of his favourites. “Varang was absolutely stunning,” Rajamouli noted.
Why did Jake Sully’s journey stand out?
While the visuals impressed him, it was Jake Sully’s emotional arc that truly stayed with Rajamouli even after the film ended. He pointed out that Jake’s moral dilemma felt deeper and more intense this time.
“I thought the first Avatar had it and it was so strong that I wondered if it could ever be topped. But in this film, it is much stronger,” he said, hinting at a more layered and conflicted protagonist.
Which conflicts left the biggest impact?
Rajamouli also teased the key emotional clashes in the film, especially between Jake Sully and Miles Quaritch, as well as between Neytiri and Varang. He revealed that his feelings towards Quaritch were unexpectedly complicated this time.
“In the first film, I clearly hated Miles. In Fire and Ash, I want to hate him, but I can’t. I want to side with him, I want to love him, but I can’t,” Rajamouli explained, praising the intense and angst-filled conversations between Jake and Miles.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third chapter in James Cameron’s epic franchise, following Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). The film premiered at the Dolby Theatre on December 1 and is set to release in theatres worldwide on December 19.
