Varanasi

About the film

Varanasi (titled onscreen as S. S. Rajamouli's Vāranāsi) is an upcoming Indian Telugu-language epic action-adventure film directed by S. S. Rajamouli, who co-wrote the film with V. Vijayendra Prasad and S. S. Kanchi. Produced by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business, the film stars Mahesh Babu in a dual role alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran.

The film is a time-spanning adventure anchored in Indian mythology, charting events from 512 CE to the modern era. Conceived after the completion of Rajamouli's RRR (2022), the project was formally launched in January 2025. Principal photography commenced the following month, with production scheduled across Hyderabad, Odisha, Kenya, and the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. With an estimated budget of ₹1,400 crore, it is the most expensive Indian film ever produced. The technical crew includes M. M. Keeravani as music composer, P. S. Vinod handling cinematography, and V. Srinivas Mohan supervising visual effects.

Premise

Spanning multiple eras from the ancient Treta Yuga to the Kali Yuga, the narrative follows a man named Rudhra on a globetrotting journey. As an asteroid named Shambhavi threatens Earth, his path intersects with cosmic cycles and mythology, bridging the glacial Ross Ice Shelf, the African savannas, and the ancient ghats of Varanasi.

Production

Initial discussions for S. S. Rajamouli's first collaboration with Mahesh Babu began in 2010, with K. L. Narayana's Sri Durga Arts confirmed as producer. Following the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), the collaboration was reported again, but Rajamouli opted to direct RRR (2022) first. In April 2020, he confirmed the Mahesh Babu project would follow RRR. Writer V. Vijayendra Prasad noted the core concept was developed as an action adventure drawing inspiration from films like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), infused with Indian cultural roots.

The project was referred to as SSMB29 until the official title, Varanasi, was announced at an event in November 2025. A title dispute arose with Rama Bramha Hanuma Creations, which had registered the name "Vaaranasi" in 2023. The issue was resolved by titling the Telugu release "Rajamouli's Varanasi", while retaining the primary title for dubbed markets.

In March 2024, Rajamouli and Prasad completed the final draft of the script. Preparation began early that year, with Babu travelling to Germany in January to undergo physical conditioning for the role. In October 2024, Rajamouli scouted locations in Kenya's Amboseli National Park. Technical crew appointments were confirmed leading up to the muhurat puja on 2 January 2025 in Hyderabad. P. S. Vinod replaced K. K. Senthil Kumar as cinematographer, marking Vinod's first collaboration with the director. M. M. Keeravani and Tammiraju were retained as music director and editor, respectively.

Music

The soundtrack is composed by Rajamouli's frequent collaborator M. M. Keeravani. The first single, "GlobeTrotter", was released in January 2026.

Marketing

A pre-look poster was unveiled on 9 August 2025, coinciding with Mahesh Babu's 50th birthday. The film's official title and a concept reel were launched on 15 November 2025 at "The Globetrotter Event" in Ramoji Film City. The event was livestreamed on JioHotstar in India and globally via Variety on YouTube.

Release

Varanasi is scheduled for theatrical release worldwide on 7 April 2027, coinciding with the festival of Ugadi. The film will be distributed in standard, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX formats. It will release in Telugu with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. T-Series acquired the Hindi distribution rights, while AA Films secured North Indian theatrical rights.

Key details