In Ghaziabad, three sisters locked themselves in a room to complete a game task. They ultimately died by suicide.
SS Rajamouli’s upcoming globetrotting epic Varanasi continues to grab headlines for its ambitious scale, massive budget, ensemble cast and genre-bending narrative. While the recently released glimpse offered a peek into the film’s expansive world-building, what truly caught attention were the dramatic visuals set against the frozen expanse of Antarctica. Taking Indian cinema where it has never gone before, Rajamouli and his team are gearing up to brave extreme conditions to shoot on the southernmost continent. Here are some fascinating details about the ambitious schedule.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Mahesh Babu-starrer Varanasi is one of the most highly anticipated films. Ever since the announcement was made, fans have speculated that the epic action drama would be told in two parts. During the film’s glimpse event in October last year, Rajamouli revealed that he got goosebumps seeing Mahesh Babu as Lord Rama. In his latest interview, the filmmaker shared more details about these aspects.
Rajamouli revealed one of the biggest and most interesting aspects of Varanasi. He stated that some portions of the film, especially the Ramayana battle sequences and the Antarctica episode, were shot in IMAX to give audiences a captivating experience. “The format is meant to encompass the scale of the visuals,” said the director, adding that the Director of Photography handled the technical aspects while he explained the overall vision.
Rajamouli also opened up about his interaction with legendary filmmaker James Cameron during the recent Hollywood awards. Expressing his joy, the Baahubali helmer said he was extremely happy to hear James speak about RRR. “We had a lengthy conversation, and the words I remember most are, ‘You continue doing films the way you do,’” he shared.
Putting an end to all speculation about a two-part film, Rajamouli clarified that Varanasi is a single-part project. He revealed that at one point, the team briefly considered making the epic action adventure in two parts but later dropped the idea. The ace filmmaker also confirmed that Varanasi will have a runtime of over three hours.
Varanasi features superstar Mahesh Babu as Shiva devotee Rudhra, set on a time-bending quest for a cosmic artifact, clashing with wheelchair-bound villain Kumbha (Prithviraj Sukumaran), alongside the mysterious thief Mandakini (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). Her role also features several action sequences. The globe-trotting adventure spans Antarctica, Kenya’s wildebeest migrations and ancient Varanasi, weaving in a 25-minute Ramayana sequence in which Babu embodies Lord Rama after six months of Kalari training. Varanasi is set for release on April 7, 2026.
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