‘Varanasi’ introduces a new language as part of its time-travel narrative
A sequence will involve the characters going into a cave where the walls have been painted with writings in an ancient script, which they will have to learn to understand the hidden mysteries.
In 2015, for “Baahubali: The Beginning,” the filmmaker sought the help of lyricist and screenwriter Madhan Karky to create a fictional language called Kiliki or Kilikili, spoken by the Kalakeya warriors who attack the Mahishmati kingdom. Eventually, even a website was launched dedicated to the language. However, Kiliki was only a spoken language in the film, with barely a momentary appearance of its written script in a scene.
For “Varanasi,” the fictional language seems to have a larger part to play in the story and might require a more elaborate creation.
The creation of a whole new language, with a proper written script and elaborate rules of grammar and syntax, is no small feat, as reported by Variety India.
J.R.R. Tolkien created languages and writing systems for works including “The Lord of the Rings”, while the languages of “Game of Thrones”, including Dothraki and High Valyrian, were developed further by linguist David J. Peterson. High Valyrian was subsequently made available to learners through Duolingo.
The movie boasts a talented ensemble cast including Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran and is set to hit the theatres on April 7, 2027.
