The third film in the Avatar series, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” is preparing for its global debut on December 19. This follows the highly successful “Avatar” (2009) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022). James Cameron, the acclaimed director behind the entire Avatar saga, has been actively promoting the upcoming movie across various countries, ensuring its reach extends far beyond the United States. As part of these promotional activities, Cameron recently took part in a virtual interview with Indian director SS Rajamouli, specifically arranged for an Indian audience.
Before their official discussion, SS Rajamouli received an exclusive opportunity to watch “Avatar: Fire and Ash” in Hyderabad, prior to its worldwide release. During their conversation, Rajamouli expressed deep admiration for the film and spoke highly of Cameron’s creative genius. He shared that he had viewed the movie alone but was eager to experience it again in a crowded theater on December 19, particularly to observe the audience’s reactions.
Cameron initiated their conversation by thanking SS Rajamouli for dedicating his time, especially given his demanding shooting schedule for the film “Varanasi.” Rajamouli explained that he has been filming for the past year and anticipates continuing production for another seven to eight months. Cameron then conveyed his strong desire to visit the sets of “Varanasi” to personally witness Rajamouli’s filmmaking process. Rajamouli conveyed his immense pleasure at this prospect, adding that not only his team and himself but the entire Indian film community would be delighted by such a significant visit.
Cameron went further, stating his particular interest in visiting the sets when Rajamouli is filming sequences that feature tigers. He enthusiastically proposed, “I’m going to come to your set, SS Rajamouli. You can give me a camera, and I’ll take a few shots for you like a second unit director.” Rajamouli was clearly overwhelmed by this extraordinary declaration. He pointed out that it was truly unprecedented for a filmmaker of Cameron’s international standing to offer to work as a second unit director on an Indian production. Rajamouli affirmed it would be an immense privilege to host Cameron on their film set.
Currently, SS Rajamouli is busy with the production of “Varanasi,” which stars Mahesh Babu and is slated for a 2027 release. Concurrently, James Cameron is finalizing preparations for the December 19 release of “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Following this, he will move on to the next installments, “Avatar 4” and “Avatar 5,” which are scheduled for release in 2029 and 2031, respectively.
