Everything We Know About S.S. Rajamouli’s Next Epic, Varanasi
Globe trotter. Time trotter.
It’s only been three years since American audiences fell in love with RRR, and its director, S.S. Rajamouli, helped spur a new fascination with Tollywood cinema. The Indian filmmaker is just one of many delivering stylized action and bonkers adventure in the biggest way possible, but Western audiences have been waiting for his follow-up to RRR with bated breath.
Fortunately, that wait is nearly over. Rajamouli has unveiled the first look at what might be his most ambitious film yet. Where RRR was a historical adventure confined to one period of Indian history, Varanasi will deliver an even wilder adventure, through both space and time. Here’s everything we know about Rajamouli’s new epic.
Varanasi will span the globe and multiple timelines, making it Rajamouli’s most ambitious yet.
What is the Varanasi release date?
Rajamouli has been working on his new epic for over a decade, but it won’t be much longer before the director can unveil his vision to the world. Varanasi will premiere in theaters on April 7, 2027.
Who is directing Varanasi?
Varanasi is helmed by S.S. Rajamouli, the mind behind 2022’s breakout blockbuster, RRR. The action epic catapulted Rajamouli onto the global stage, but he was notably beloved in his native India for years before RRR made history. One of the highest-grossing filmmakers in the world, Rajamouli has a knack for the big settings and big emotions that a Western audience would find a bit absurd. But RRR was a much-needed breath of fresh air when it took the world by storm, challenging the status quo of grim action-thrillers with a buoyant, genre-defying new classic — and there’s every chance that Varanasi will do the same.
Is there a Varanasi trailer?
Yes, there is. Check out the filmed-for-IMAX trailer for Varanasi below.
What is the plot of Varanasi?
Per Rajamouli, Varanasi takes the basic themes that unite his previous films and runs with it. “All my films are inspired by the epics of Rama,” the director recently told Polygon. He cites the Ramayana — a Hindu text that chronicles the adventures of the deity Rama and dates back millennia, to the 7th century B.C.E. — as direct inspiration for Varanasi. “In this film, I have a chance to actually take an actual episode from Ramayana itself and present it in this way,” Rajamouli explained.
Varanasi stretches millennia, too, from an ancient chapter of Hindu history to the present day. It’s also an ambitious globe-trotter: Rajamouli shot everywhere from Antarctica to Africa and the titular Indian city. The plot of the film remains under wraps, but Rajamouli teased that it will focus on the relationship between “a father and son,” with Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu playing dual roles as everyman Rudhra and the Hindu god Rama. It might sound like a lot for American audiences to follow, but Rajamouli doesn’t believe that any homework will be required to enjoy the film.
“You might not understand the whole story of Rama, but there is no need to,” Rajamouli said. “If you understand the emotions of the characters, you’ll understand what is happening.”
The cast and crew of Varanasi attend the film’s GlobeTrotter event.
Who is in the Varanasi cast?
Mahesh Babu will star in Varanasi as Rudhra, playing double duty as the deity Rama. The film will pit him against Prithviraj Sukumaran, who’s set to play a wheelchair-bound villain named Kumbha. Priyanka Chopra Jonas also appears in Varanasi as Mandakini, a mysterious thief. Varanasi marks Chopra Jonas’ return to Indian cinema since 2019.
“If there was any way of coming back to Indian cinema, it would be with the biggest Indian movie being made, and that undertaking is this film,” Chopra Jonas told Variety. “I think Sir [Rajamouli]’s vision is unlike anyone in this country or abroad. His cohort, if I may say so, is the Spielbergs of the world, the Nolans of the world, the Finchers of the world.”
Will Varanasi have a sequel?
Varanasi is an epic in every sense of the word, and there are no plans to continue this story beyond its three-hour runtime. Rajamouli did tell ScreenRant that his team considered splitting the film into two parts, but “we quickly dropped the idea.”
“It’s a one film, one-time film,” the director explained. “I don’t think runtime is the issue. It is about pulling them into the world... If the audiences are not invested in the characters of the world, forget three hours. They won’t even watch it for three minutes.”
If Varanasi’s trippy teaser is any assurance, there’s no doubt that audiences will tune in for whatever Rajamouli has to offer.
