Indian cinephiles gear up for a grand cinematic spectacle that will transcend timelines and blend mythical elements. We’re talking about the SS Rajamouli magnum opus ‘Varanasi’ starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj in the lead roles! The cinematic spectacle is expected to hit theaters in the summer of 2027, with the title announcement video being released on November 15, 2025. Let’s take a deep dive into what we know about the movie so far and how the movie might highlight the cultural brilliance of Varanasi.
Varanasi: Movie Speculations, Shooting Locations, How To Reach Varanasi, And More
Varanasi: What We Know About The Movie So Far
The grand cinematic spectacle is being directed by ace director SS Rajamouli and produced under the banner of Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business. With pathbreaking movies like the Baahubali franchise and RRR in his credit, it is no doubt that Varanasi is about to be his next big cinematic spectacle. The movie has been produced by K.L. Narayana and S.S. Karthikeya, with plans to release it in the summer of 2027.
What’s noteworthy about Varanasi is its cinematic excellence. The movie is being shot for the IMAX screen format, which promises clearer visuals, brighter colors, and more screen space on the theater screen.
Varanasi Title Announcement Event At Ramoji Film City
The title announcement launch was held at Ramoji Film City, the world’s largest film city, located in Hyderabad. This event was graced by the primary cast of the movie, including actors Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj, as well as actor-singer Shruthi Haasan, who rendered a musical track from the film.
The movie was long teased under the codename ‘Globetrotter’, with fans speculating about what the movie plot could be about. On Saturday, 15 November, there was a grand event that marked the title announcement of the much-anticipated movie. More than 50,000 fans attended the title announcement event, with Shruthi Haasan performing one of the songs of the movie, “Sanchari”.
The title announcement took place on a massive 110 x 130 foot LED screen, flanked by replicas of Varanasi’s ghats. Moreover, Mahesh Babu rode a mechanical bull at the event, revealing his character ‘Rudhra’ at the event. His character introduction met a thunderous response, with fans cheering “Jai Babu” to hype the actor.
However, the excitement at the event reached its zenith with the grand reveal of the movie stills. The movie visuals revealed the world of ‘Varanasi’ that is about to transcend different timelines – from the mythical Trethayuga to 2027 CE. Plus, the movie will see a cinematic blend of the ‘real’ and ‘mythical’, promising elements of Hindu mythology and real-life phenomena. If you’ve watched the teaser, here are all the intriguing details you may or may not have noticed:
Time Is The Main Character
Varanasi is being touted as an action-adventure time travel film that will travel across multiple time periods. The movie teaser shows glimpses of 7200 BCE as well as 2027 CE, juggling between different timelines and global locations. The time-travel aspect of the movie is pointing towards multiple plot points, and possible reincarnations.
Global Locations And Mind-Blowing VFX
The teaser shows glimpses of the immaculate world-building, featuring locations from all over the world. From the wilderness of Amboseli in Africa to the city of Varanasi and Ugrabhatti Cave, the movie promises to take viewers on a ‘globetrotting’ journey.
Intriguing Movie Characters
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Mahesh Babu as ‘Rudhra’: While the character posters of Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj were revealed before the teaser launch, the makers kept Mahesh Babu’s character under wraps. They revealed his character ‘Rudhra’ at the event on a grand scale, showing him riding a mechanical bull. His character is also shown carrying a trident, an important symbol associated with Lord Shiva. Fans are speculating that the character might have a connection with Lord Shiva as well as Lord Rama.
Priyanka Chopra ‘Mandakini’ character role: Global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas will feature in the lead role of Mandakini in the movie. While details of her character are not out yet, fans are speculating that she might have a connection with Goddess Chhinnamasta as seen in the teaser. Her character poster also suggests that she might be seen doing action-packed scenes in the movie.
Prithviraj Sukumaran Kumbha villain role: Telugu superstar Prithviraj will play the role of ‘Kumbha’, serving as the antagonist in the movie. The character poster and teaser glimpses show that Kumbha might have a connection with either Ravana or Kumbhakarna, two major antagonists in Ramayana.
Blend Of Mythical Elements
Varanasi’s glimpses show how the movie will introduce elements rooted in Indian mythology. The teaser showed a scene from the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’, revealing what could be glimpses of Hanumana and the Vaanar Sena. Along with it, there were glimpses of what could be a battle scene between Lord Rama and Ravana.
Also Read: Ramayana: The Introduction – Filming Locations of Namit Malhotra’s Epic Retelling
How Varanasi Focuses On The Ancient City Of Kashi
Kashi or modern-day Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth, dating back to more than 3,000 years. As the title of the movie suggests, the movie will feature Varanasi as a major element of the story. The teaser shows glimpses of the city dating back to 512 CE, suggesting how the city will feature in the movie across timelines.
Varanasi has been at the center of the spiritual fabric of Hinduism. With its significance, the city has been extensively featured in many Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata as well as sacred texts. Many Hindus believe that Varanasi is the city of ‘moksha’ – that visiting it and taking a dip in the Ganges will grant them liberation from the cycle of life and death.
How To Reach Varanasi
By Air
Varanasi has its own international airport, the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport. The airport enjoys decent connectivity, with flights to other major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and others. From the airport, the city center is located at a distance of about 24 km.
By Rail
Varanasi also has its own railway junction, with many express trains halting here. You can get express trains from many major railway junctions, such as those located in New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, and many other cities. The railway junction is conveniently located in the city center, making it convenient for travelers to explore the city.
By Road
The city is well-connected to other major cities like Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mumbai, and others through an excellent network of interstate highways and expressways. Major highways cutting through the city include National Highways 19 and 44, as well as the upcoming Varanasi-Kolkata expressway.
Summing Up
SS Rajamouli is the ace director who’s taking Indian cinema to the world. Varanasi promises to be a grand, pathbreaking creation that will definitely emerge as a commercial success. With the movie being extensively shot in Ramoji Film City, the movie will feature three of the brightest superstars of the Indian film industry. The movie, as the name suggests, will have an intriguing connection with Varanasi and elements of Hindu mythology. The Varanasi movie time travel plot has fans excited as it will tap into an underexplored genre in Indian cinema. How excited are you for this global cinematic spectacle set to release in 2027?
