Director S.S. Rajamouli's highly anticipated film, "Varanasi," starring Mahesh Babu, is now slated for a global theatrical release on April 7, 2027. This marks a shift from the earlier speculated January 2027 release. The Telugu-language epic action-adventure, co-written by Rajamouli and V. Vijayendra Prasad, also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
"Varanasi" is named after the ancient Indian city sacred to Hindus. While plot details remain under wraps, the film is rumored to take place over thousands of years and will be based around the Hindu deity Lord Rama. Mahesh Babu will be playing the lead role of Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra will be essaying the role of Mandakini, and Prithviraj Sukumaran will portray the antagonist Kumbha.
The film is produced by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business. With a reported budget of ₹1,000–1,300 crore ($150 million), "Varanasi" is poised to be one of the most expensive Indian films ever produced. The film has music composed by M.M. Keeravani, cinematography by P.S. Vinod, and visual effects by V. Srinivas Mohan. Keeravani also wrote the Oscar-winning song “Naatu Naatu”.
Rajamouli conceived "Varanasi" as a globetrotting adventure rooted in Indian cultural themes, drawing inspiration from classic adventure cinema. Shooting locations include Africa and Antarctica. The film was formally launched with a puja in January 2025, and principal photography commenced the following month in Hyderabad.
"Varanasi" will be released in standard and IMAX formats. It is also the first Indian film, as well as the first non-English film, to be shot in 1.43:1 IMAX format. In addition to its original Telugu version, the film will be released with dubbed versions in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.
The release date avoids a clash with Sandeep Reddy Vanga's "Spirit," which is scheduled for March 2027. The April release also strategically coincides with Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, festivals that typically see high box office footfall in South India, followed by Ambedkar Jayanti and Ram Navami.
Following the global success of "RRR," expectations are high for "Varanasi" to reach an even larger international audience.
