Varanasi is an upcoming Indian Telugu-language epic action-adventure film co-written and directed by S. S. Rajamouli. Co-scripted with his longtime collaborators V. Vijayendra Prasad and S. S. Kanchi, the film is produced by Sri Durga Arts alongside Showing Business. It stars Mahesh Babu in a dual role, sharing the screen with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Set against a grand narrative arc that spans multiple epochal timelines, the story revolves around the protagonist Rudhra as the ancient spiritual capital of Varanasi faces the impending strike of a massive asteroid.
Conceived by Rajamouli as a globetrotting adventure deeply anchored in Indian cultural heritage, the film draws inspiration from the narrative pacing and emotional scales of classic adventure cinema. While early conversations regarding a collaboration between Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu began as far back as 2010, the project formally came together following the global success of RRR (2022). Officially launched in January 2025, principal photography began the following month in Hyderabad. Filming has taken place across expansive locations in India, Kenya, and Antarctica—making it the first Indian production and only the fourth feature film in cinema history to shoot on the Antarctic continent. Mounted on a projected budget of ₹1,400 crore, Varanasi is set to be the most expensive Indian film ever produced.
The technical crew features score composition by M. M. Keeravani, cinematography by P. S. Vinod, and visual effects supervision by V. Srinivas Mohan. The film is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on April 7, 2027, aligning with the festival of Ugadi. It stands as the first Indian film and the first non-English production globally to be shot specifically for the expanded 1.43:1 IMAX aspect ratio.
Plot Overview of Varanasi
The narrative of Varanasi follows the journey of Rudhra as the historic city of Varanasi becomes the focal point of an impending cosmic disaster involving a rogue asteroid. The storyline traverses vast geographical landscapes—stretching from the African savannas to the Antarctic ice sheets—while structurally weaving through different historical and mythological ages (yugas), moving from the Treta Yuga to the contemporary Kali Yuga.
Cast
- Mahesh Babu in a dual role as:
- Rudhra, the central protagonist traversing multiple eras.
- Lord Rama, in sequences depicting events from the Ramayana.
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini
- Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha, the primary antagonist
- Prakash Raj in a supporting role
Production
Development
Initial discussions for a film combining the creative efforts of director S. S. Rajamouli and actor Mahesh Babu began around 2010. Producer K. L. Narayana’s banner, Sri Durga Arts, was attached to the project early on, though active development was deferred for several years while both creator and star fulfilled other professional commitments. Following the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in 2017, Rajamouli confirmed in media interviews that he was developing two distinct scripts—one for producer D. V. V. Danayya (RRR) and the second for Sri Durga Arts.
By mid-2021, screenwriter V. Vijayendra Prasad revealed that the Sri Durga Arts project was being penned as a large-scale jungle adventure set against African landscapes. Rajamouli elaborated that the film would capture the spirit of classic globe-trotting pulp adventures like Indiana Jones or James Bond, blending high-stakes international action with deep-seated Indian mythos and emotional resonance.
To allocate maximum resources to the screen, both Rajamouli and Babu opted for a profit-sharing model involving a smaller upfront fee paired with a 40% share of the back-end profits. Known colloquially in the press for years as SSMB29 (denoting Babu’s 29th lead role), the official title Varanasi was formally revealed in November 2025. Following a brief title registration conflict with another local banner, the production team adjusted the official Telugu title to Rajamouli’s Varanasi, while international and other regional dubbed releases retained the standalone title Varanasi.
Varanasi Pre-production
Writing on the script began in earnest in 2022 and took two full years to finalize, reaching a completed shooting draft by March 2024. In early 2024, Mahesh Babu traveled to Germany to undergo specialized physical conditioning for the demanding stunt work. Meanwhile, Rajamouli conducted extensive location scouting across East Africa, focusing on Kenya’s Amboseli National Park.
A traditional muhurat puja ceremony was conducted in Hyderabad on January 2, 2025, to mark the start of formal production work. Cinematographer P. S. Vinod was brought on board to lens the project, marking his first collaboration with Rajamouli and stepping in for the director’s long-time director of photography, K. K. Senthil Kumar. Frequent collaborator M. M. Keeravani returned to handle the musical score, while Tammiraju was selected as film editor. Veteran actor Nassar was also brought in during pre-production to assist Babu with specialized linguistic and dialect training required for his multi-era roles.
Casting
Mahesh Babu’s inclusion as the lead was settled from the project’s inception. Priyanka Chopra Jonas was cast as the female lead, marking her return to Telugu cinema for the first time since Thoofan (2013). Prithviraj Sukumaran signed on as the main antagonist, adding another major South Indian star to the ensemble. Following Rajamouli’s signing with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Hollywood, international casting directors were engaged to enlist American and European talent for various global sequences. While Rajat Kapoor was initially cast in a supporting role, he later exited the project over creative differences, and Prakash Raj subsequently joined the cast in late 2025.
Filming
Principal photography commenced on February 2, 2025, at a secure set in Hyderabad, with both Babu and Chopra present for the opening schedule. To guard against early visual leaks, Rajamouli imposed strict non-disclosure agreements across all departments and enforced a complete ban on personal mobile phones within the studio floor.
- Odisha & Kashi Sets: In March 2025, production shifted to Odisha. A massive, highly detailed set replicating the ancient riverbanks and architecture of Kashi was erected at Talamali Hilltop in the Koraput district to film a major action set-piece. Additional large-scale period sets representing historic Varanasi were constructed at studio facilities in Hyderabad shortly after.
- African Schedule: Between June and September 2025, the unit mounted an extensive outdoors shoot in Kenya, capturing high-octane sequences across the landscapes of the Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Samburu, and Amboseli.
- Mythological & Climax Units: By late 2025, the production spent 60 consecutive days executing an elaborate sequence centered around scenes from the Ramayana, while simultaneously beginning work on the film’s climax.
- Antarctica: In March 2026, the unit traveled to the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. This location shoot made Varanasi the first Indian feature film to record footage on the southern continent.
- IMAX Filming: By June 2026, Rajamouli confirmed that all primary IMAX-format action sequences were wrapped, leaving only smaller dramatic and transitional scenes to complete the schedule.
Visual Effects & Technology of Varanasi
Visual Effects Supervision
Visual effects for the film are supervised by V. Srinivas Mohan, marking his fourth major project with Rajamouli following both Baahubali films and RRR. Because of the massive volume of CGI required—ranging from digital environments to cosmic hazards—Rajamouli systematically prioritized shooting the visual-effects-heavy set pieces early in the schedule, establishing a two-year post-production window for asset rendering and compositing.
Production Vendors
London-headquartered Cinesite serves as the lead visual effects studio for the film, supported by its subsidiary Trixter alongside Mumbai-based Assemblage Entertainment. Assemblage was tasked specifically with character animation and digital modeling for various mythological creatures featured throughout the film’s ancient timelines. Boutique vendors including Phantom ex (set extensions) and Meta VFX (digital doubles) were engaged for early promotional materials, with the production team explicitly avoiding generative AI tools in favor of traditional artist-rendered CGI to maintain visual fidelity for IMAX presentation.
Performance Capture
A substantial portion of the film’s complex, environment-shifting sequences was captured using the A&M MoCap Lab at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. Inaugurated by Rajamouli in March 2026, the facility—developed in partnership with Mihira Visual Labs and Animatrik Film Design—represents the largest motion and performance capture studio in India. Featuring 26-megapixel Vicon Valkyrie cameras integrated directly with Unreal Engine for real-time digital visualization, the setup allowed the director to pre-visualize complex camera moves inside digital spaces during live performance capture. A major 25-minute set piece depicting the protagonist navigating through different eras was filmed entirely within this volume.
Music
The film’s soundtrack and background score are composed by M. M. Keeravani.
Track Listing
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “GlobeTrotter” | Chaitanya Prasad | Shruti Haasan, Kaala Bhairava | 3:35 |
| 2. | “Rana Kumbha” | Chaitanya Prasad | Aditya Iyengar | 1:40 |
| 3. | “The Arrival” | Instrumental | M. M. Keeravani | 3:22 |
Varanasi Marketing & Release
Marketing Strategy Varanasi movie
Promotional activity began on August 9, 2025, with the release of a pre-look asset celebrating Mahesh Babu’s 50th birthday. On November 15, 2025, the production hosted a major launch gathering titled The Globetrotter Event at Ramoji Film City. During the event, the cast and crew officially unveiled the film’s title along with its first concept reel. The event was broadcast live domestically on JioHotstar—marking the first time a feature film launch was streamed live on a major OTT platform in India—while Variety handled the international stream via YouTube. During the presentation, Rajamouli formally announced that Varanasi was being captured using native 1.43:1 IMAX cameras.
Theatrical Release of Varanasi movie
Varanasi is scheduled to open in theaters globally on April 7, 2027, offered in standard digital, Dolby Cinema, and IMAX formats. Originally filmed in Telugu, the movie will premiere concurrently with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. Planned for distribution across more than 120 countries, it represents the widest international theatrical roll-out for an Indian film to date.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Varanasi movie about?
Varanasi is presented as an epic adventure centered on Rudhra, with the story connecting the historic city of Varanasi to a major cosmic threat involving a rogue asteroid.
2. Who is directing Varanasi?
Varanasi is directed by S. S. Rajamouli, known for large-scale Indian cinematic spectacles.
3. What makes Varanasi different from a typical action movie?
The story combines mythology, different yugas, adventure, historical settings, and a cosmic disaster, giving the film a much broader narrative scope.
4. Does Varanasi involve different time periods?
Yes. The narrative is described as moving across different historical and mythological ages, including the Treta Yuga and the contemporary Kali Yuga.
5. Where does the story of Varanasi take place?
Varanasi is a major setting, while the story also travels across dramatically different landscapes, including African savannas and Antarctic ice regions.
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