Allu Arjun and Atlee's Raaka sets Guinness World Record with 37 performers in mocap

Dubai: The mystery of Raaka's "37" is solved.

Allu Arjun and director Atlee's upcoming film has set a Guinness World Record for the "Most People Motion-Captured in Real-Time", after 37 performers were captured at the same time. Sun Pictures, which is producing the film, announced the record on Monday, the day of Atlee's 40th birthday, ending a week of cryptic posters built around the number.

Guinness World Record

Motion capture records an actor's movements so they can be transferred onto a digital character. Doing it for one or two performers at a time is standard. Doing it for 37 in one go is not.

The performers ranged in age from a four-year-old child to a 70-year-old, and were captured together using 92 optical motion-capture cameras. The challenge was to keep all 37 individual performances accurate within a single capture space. To do it, the film's VFX producer built a motion-capture pipeline designed specifically for Raaka's technical needs.

The Guinness World Records listing credits Sun TV Network Limited and V. Arunkumar, Atlee's real name, both of India, with the achievement for the film Raaka, starring Allu Arjun, in Mumbai. The record was officially certified on 15 September 2026.

'History made'

Sun Pictures shared the news on X, with a photograph of Allu Arjun and Atlee holding the certificate on the Raaka set.

"HISTORY MADE. A global triumph that takes Indian cinema to the world stage! #Raaka sets a Guinness World Record for the 'Most People Motion-Captured in Real-Time', with 37 performers captured simultaneously! Mr. Allu Arjun and Mr. Atlee received the Guinness World Records certificate, marking this historic achievement," the studio wrote.

What Atlee said

Atlee said the recognition felt unreal.

"Growing up, we always heard about Guinness World Records with so much wonder, never imagining that one day we would be blessed to achieve one ourselves. To receive this recognition for bringing 37 motion-capture assets together in a single shoot feels truly surreal and deeply humbling. For me, it is a reminder that when we dream big and work together with complete belief, sometimes the impossible becomes possible," he said.

How the build-up played out

The number first appeared on 17 September, when Sun Pictures posted a poster reading simply "37". Fans quickly linked it to Atlee's birthday, since three multiplied by seven makes 21.

On Monday morning, a new poster tied the number to a record and carried the hashtag #Mocap, with a promise of an announcement that evening. The Guinness certificate followed.

'I don't think even Avatar has visuals like that'

The announcement came days after Tamil director Cibi Chakaravarthi, who describes himself as Atlee's student, spoke publicly about seeing footage from the film.

"I have seen the visuals of his films; he showed them to me. 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.

He also compared Atlee to SS Rajamouli. "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, speaking at the same event, said he had only seen films like Raaka coming out of Hollywood.

About Raaka

Raaka is the first collaboration between the Telugu star and the Tamil director, produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures. Deepika Padukone stars alongside Allu Arjun, with music by Sai Abhyankar and cinematography by GK Vishnu.

The title was announced on Allu Arjun's 44th birthday on 8 April, with a first look showing him bald, with kohl-rimmed eyes and animal claws. Atlee has described the film as an idea he carried for 18 years.

"It tested me, shaped me, and stayed with me through everything. And honestly… this is just the beginning," he wrote at the time.

Sun Pictures has called it "a collaboration born of the highest ambitions in Indian cinema", adding: "We believe this will not only redefine the scale of what we create, but also affirm Indian cinema's rightful place in global entertainment."

The film is currently being shot in Mumbai and is expected to release in December 2027.