SS Rajamouli unveils Varanasi at Grand Globetrotter event

At a glittering Globetrotter fan event in Hyderabad attended by over 50,000 people, celebrated filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli dropped the long-awaited teaser for his next magnum opus, Varanasi. The announcement has sent ripples across Indian cinema, as the director teams up with Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in what fans are already calling one of his most ambitious projects yet. The event, steeped in spectacle, marked not just a trailer launch but a celebration of Rajamouli’s journey — his “Globetrotter” moniker refers to his globe-spanning impact on cinema. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, making her much-anticipated return to Indian cinema, graced the occasion to thunderous cheers. In Varanasi, Mahesh Babu plays Rudhra, while Priyanka Chopra is cast as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha. Rajamouli revealed that the film will be a time-travel adventure, inspired by ancient Indian mythology — with a number of sequences rooted in the Ramayana. Adding to the grandeur, the teaser promises high-end visual effects and sweeping cinematic scale. The film is slated for a summer 2027 release, with a musical score by long-time collaborator M. M. Keeravani. The Varanasi event feels like a new chapter — not just for Rajamouli, but for Indian epic cinema. With its mythic inspirations, star cast, and high production ambition, the film is poised to be a landmark in his already illustrious career. @@@