Filmmaker Cibi Chakaravarthi has praised the visuals of Atlee's upcoming film Raaka, saying what he has seen so far looks extraordinary and could even rival the visuals of Avatar.
Speaking at the audio launch of Vijay Sethupathi's upcoming Tamil film Baththa in Chennai, Cibi said Atlee had shown him some visuals from Raaka and left him impressed. “Sir, I don't think even Avatar has visuals like that. Everyone will see what I'm talking about in three days. The visuals were extraordinary,” he said.
Raaka is expected to be released around Atlee's birthday on September 21.
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— Laxmi Kanth (@iammoviebuff005) September 18, 2026
Cibi also praised Atlee for his contribution to Indian cinema and compared his vision with that of SS Rajamouli.
He said, “I also want to say something. Much like how Rajamouli sir is taking Indian cinema to the next level, I believe Atlee sir will take Indian cinema to the global map. I feel so proud to be your student.”
Lyricist Vivek also spoke about Raaka at the event and said that he had seen films of a similar scale mainly in Hollywood.
Cibi Opens Up About His Rajinikanth Film
Cibi was earlier announced as the director of Rajinikanth's next film. However, Ashwath Marimuthu later took over the project, which is now titled Dharman.
Speaking about the project not working out, Cibi recalled how Atlee supported him during that period. He said, “Atlee sir is not just my teacher but also my mentor. Everyone knows my film with Rajinikanth didn't pan out; it was painful for me. I got a call from Atlee sir, during an emotional time. He told me, you are a blockbuster director. Don't be fed up. Sir, your words made me bounce back. I'll make you proud with my next film.”
Director #Cibi:
— AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) September 18, 2026
"#Atlee sir is not only a teacher, but a mentor for me. Everyone knows that recently my film with #Rajinikanth sir has been missed. It was very painful for me. At that time I got a call from #Atlee sir, it was very emotional for me. Atlee sir told 'You are a… pic.twitter.com/abJjbpMU4x
About Raaka
Directed by Atlee and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, Raaka stars Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles. Sai Abhyankar is composing the music, while the film is expected to release in 2027. Its promotional material has also hinted at a creature-focused storyline.
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