HYDERABAD, India – In a display of bold imagination and roaring fan excitement, acclaimed filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, the mind behind global hits RRR and the Baahubali series, has revealed his most daring film so far.
The project, previously known by its working title “Globe Trotter”, now carries the simpler and more evocative “Varanasi Movie”, instantly tying its grand time-travel story to the sacred heartland of Hindu culture.
The launch event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad felt less like a routine press meet and more like a huge spiritual and cinematic celebration. Tens of thousands of passionate fans travelled long distances to be there for the first look.
The preview footage, packed with visual effects and jaw-dropping scale, hints at a story that blends science fiction time travel with themes rooted in Hindu mythology, drawing heavily on moments inspired by the Ramayana.
Varanasi Movie Divine Line-Up and a Bold Story
Slated for an IMAX release in 2027, the Varanasi movie is positioned as a large-scale spectacle for the big screen. At its centre is Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, who plays the hero Rudhra. His first-look poster shows him as a blood-soaked warrior gripping a trident while riding a charging white bull. The image set social media on fire within minutes.
Mahesh Babu made a dramatic entrance at the event, riding a mechanical white bull onto the stage. He called the film a “once-in-a-lifetime” role and said it would make the “whole of India proud.” The trident and bull, echoing Nandi, the sacred mount of Lord Shiva, hint at a strong spiritual and cosmic link between Rudhra and the holy city of Varanasi.
Adding to the star power, global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas returns to Indian cinema as Mandakini after a lengthy period in Hollywood. Her character poster shows her in a mustard sari on the edge of a cliff, pistol in hand. The image signals that this is not a traditional period film, but a fierce mix of mythology, modern action, and high-stakes drama.
The main cast is completed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, who plays the villain Kumbha. His name calls to mind the legendary giant Kumbhakarna from the Ramayana, suggesting that the central conflict draws direct energy from epic mythological battles.
Early whispers from the concept video, parts of which reportedly leaked online, suggest a story with huge scope. Scenes jump from a painstaking recreation of ancient Varanasi in 512 CE to a looming disaster in 2027 CE involving an asteroid named Shambhavi.
There are even glimpses of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica and an ancient hidden city buried beneath the ice. The idea of linking India’s sacred geography with a global catastrophe and long mythic timelines is classic Rajamouli, daring and unapologetically grand.
Fan Mania: The Birth of ‘Rajamouli’s Ramayana’
Fans of Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu have responded with near-unchecked excitement. Social platforms are filled with frame-by-frame analyses of the concept footage, fan theories, and debate threads that run into thousands of comments.
The moment that has sparked the most discussion is a blink-and-you-miss shot that appears to show Mahesh Babu in the majestic form of Lord Rama. Many viewers are calling it one of the most powerful modern screen representations of the deity.
A sequence featuring a chariot racing along what seems to be Hanuman’s tail, set amid an enormous battle, has inspired fans to nickname the film “Rajamouli’s Ramayana.” Proud comments celebrate the film as a new stage for Indian culture on a global platform.
One widely shared post reads, “That Hanuman and Lord RAMA moment in the Varanasi trailer? Literal goosebumps! The power and aura were unbelievable. Rajamouli sir is redefining Indian cinema.”
The reaction, however, is not entirely one-sided. Some viewers felt slightly let down that the reveal centred on a concept video that relied heavily on animation and CGI instead of finished live-action shots. As one critic put it,
“The idea looks bold and extremely ambitious, but some fans felt the visuals were a little underwhelming for a project of this magnitude.”
When a director repeatedly raises the bar with every release, previous successes become the standard that all future work must match or surpass. That seems to be the expectation here as well.
Extending a Powerful Cinematic Legacy
The unveiling of Varanasi sends a clear signal. Indian cinema, and especially the Telugu film industry led by Rajamouli, is not content with staying local. It is building on its global reputation with even more confidence.
The mix of high-energy action, myth-inspired storytelling, and large-scale visual effects that helped RRR win an Oscar is returning here in a story with even broader reach, crossing centuries, continents, and belief systems.
Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravani is back to handle the music, which raises expectations for a rich, larger-than-life score. Rajamouli has also announced a new Premium Large-Scale Format designed specifically for IMAX, signalling that Varanasi is being built from the ground up as an immersive big-screen experience.
Everything about the project suggests that it is meant to be more than a standard theatrical release. Varanasi positions the ancient spiritual core of India right at the front of global film technology and spectacle. For now, audiences around the world wait with a mix of impatience and excitement, curious to see how Rajamouli will bring this massive time-travel adventure to life.
What part of Varanasi excites readers the most: the time travel, the mythological connections, or the cast? Would a closer look at the film’s possible links to the Ramayana be helpful?
