SS Rajamouli's 'Varanasi' to feature a completely new language
What's the story
SS Rajamouli's upcoming film Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran, is set to raise the bar with its scale. The film will feature a unique fictional language created from scratch by a linguistic expert, Variety reported. This is a rare feat in Indian cinema but has been seen in global epics like The Lord of the Rings, Dune, and Game of Thrones.
Film details
Language will be used in a time-travel sequence
According to the outlet, the new language will be used in a time-travel sequence where characters discover an ancient script inside a cave.
They will need to learn this language to uncover hidden mysteries.
This is similar to Rajamouli's previous film Baahubali: The Beginning, where lyricist and screenwriter Madhan Karky created Kiliki or Kilikili for the Kalakeya warriors.
Language complexity
Development of Dothraki and High Valyrian
While Kilikili was only a spoken language with a brief written script in Baahubali, the fictional language in Varanasi is expected to play a bigger role and may require a more complex creation.
Authors like George R.R. Martin created words for Dothraki and High Valyrian, used in Game of Thrones, which linguist David J. Peterson then used to build entire languages.
Meanwhile, Varanasi releases on April 7, 2027.