Filmmaker SS Rajamouli s Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Varanasi is one of the most-awaited films from Tollywood. When the filmmakers unveiled the first glimpse of the
Filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Varanasi is one of the most-awaited films from Tollywood. When the filmmakers unveiled the first glimpse of the film at a grand event in Hyderabad last year, fans decoded every frame and realised there’s a connection to theRamayana. At a fan interaction, Rajamouli’s father, writer Vijayendra Prasad, teased a 30-minute scene from the film.
At an open house hosted by Filmy Focus, Prasad spoke about Varanasi. When asked if the 30-minute scene from the film that he had teased would shake India at the film’s event was mythological, political, or spiritual, he replied, “It’s a war between Rama and Kumbhakarna.” Fans are now speculating if Prithviraj plays Kumbhakarna.
He also added, “You saw in the trailer, right? You saw Rama and Kumbhakarna. You saw Lord Hanuman’s tail and a chariot on it. I’m talking about that…spellbound. However, the writer clammed up before he could reveal much. When asked if the film has the concept of time zones and whose idea it was to include them, he said, “We shouldn’t talk about it anymore.”
At the event held last year, Rajamouli confirmed that Mahesh will be seen as Lord Rama for a portion of Varanasi. “On the first day, when Mahesh came in Lord Rama’s get-up for the photoshoot, I had goosebumps. I was torn. Mahesh has the charm of Krishna, but the calmness of Rama. Still, I was confident. I even set that photo as my wallpaper and then removed it so that no one would see it,” he said.
The filmmaker further spoke about shooting the sequence, saying, “We shot this sequence for 60 days, and we completed it recently. Every single day was a challenge. Every episode and sub-episode felt like a film in itself; everything had to be reimagined and planned from scratch. After crossing all those hurdles, we finally wrapped the sequence. I believe it will be one of the most memorable sequences in my films and in Mahesh’s films as well.”
The teaser had hinted at the film’s connection to the Ramayana, and many fans speculated that it involves time travel. Directed by SS Rajamouli, the film stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra as Mandakini, and Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist, Kumbha. The film is currently in production and is scheduled for a Sankranti 2027 theatrical release.
Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More