SS Rajamouli unveiled the first look of his ₹1200-crore film Varanasi, considered his most ambitious venture yet. A grand, larger-than-life event was organized in Hyderabad on November 15, attended by Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
SS Rajamouli unveiled the first look of his ambitious film Varanasi at a grand event held at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, on November 15. The reveal, staged before a crowd of more than 50,000, generated massive anticipation and fanfare. The acclaimed director, known for global hits like the Baahubali series and RRR, attended the event along with lead stars Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Babu, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Babu, SS Rajamouli and Prithviraj Sukumaran at the Varanasi event |
The Globetrotter event, held on the death anniversary of Mahesh Babu’s father, Ghattamaneni Siva Rama Krishna Murthy (Krishna), quickly became a major topic on social media. Fans shared numerous clips and photos from the event on X and other platforms. At the time of reporting, X (formerly Twitter) recorded 34K posts from the event, 129K mentions of the film’s previous title SSMB29, and 513K mentions of its newly revealed name, Varanasi. Here are the five key moments from the event that are trending online.
1. Highly anticipated title and teaser launch
For fans of SS Rajamouli, the biggest excitement was around the film’s title, previously known as SSMB29 and later Globetrotter. Amid widespread speculation, the makers officially announced that the pan-India project will be called Varanasi. The event featured a massive 110-by-130-foot (33.5-by-39.5-meter) screen, complemented by replicas of Varanasi city.
In addition to the title announcement, the first look teaser of Varanasi was unveiled at the event. While most details remain under wraps, the nearly four-minute video offers a visually stunning time-travel adventure inspired by elements of Hindu mythology. The film takes its name from the Indian city regarded as the spiritual heart of Hinduism, according to AP News. The makers confirmed that Varanasi has been shot for IMAX screenings, and the teaser has gone viral on social media. While it has been widely praised, a small section of viewers has criticized the VFX in the teaser.
2.Priyanka Chopra’s glamorous appearance and Telugu greeting
Varanasi will also see Priyanka Chopra’s return to Indian cinema after her last Bollywood film, The Sky Is Pink, in 2019. For the Hyderabad event, the ‘Desi Girl’ flew in from the United States, where she lives with her husband Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie. She wore a white lehenga styled as a half-saree, accessorized with multiple pieces of jewelry, perfectly complementing her period-drama look.
Although Priyanka Chopra’s look and scene from Varanasi were not part of the teaser, clips of her from the event have gone viral online. She charmed fans in the Southern city by greeting them in Telugu, saying “Thagala petteddama?” which translates to “Should we set fire?” Sharing her excitement, she added, “As you’ve probably noticed, I’m thrilled to be back making this movie in my beloved India. The best way to do Telugu cinema is with the greats.”
3. Mahesh Babu makes a grand entrance as Rudhra wielding a trident
SS Rajamouli is celebrated for creating larger-than-life cinematic moments, and he didn’t disappoint at the Globetrotter event. Fans got a taste of the drama when the lead actor rode a mechanical bull on stage, echoing his teaser introduction as Rudhra in Varanasi. The first look of Mahesh Babu as Rudhra showed him atop an ox, wielding a trishul.
Mahesh Babu as Rudhra in Varanasi
4. SS Rajamouli criticises leaks, issues apology for technical issues
Despite elaborate arrangements, the Varanasi teaser could not be screened on the big screen at the scheduled time. Director SS Rajamouli apologised to the audience, explaining that they hadn’t tested the preview beforehand to prevent leaks. He said, “Last night we didn’t test the glimpse on this screen because a drone was flying here, attempting to leak our year-long hard work. We took the risk, and now the power isn’t sufficient to play it. It may take ten more minutes.”
SS Rajamouli criticised unauthorised filming at the event, saying, “We ambitiously set up this huge LED screen with the finest panels, powered by over 45 generators. Yesterday, we were meant to test everything—cranes, black cloth, the video—but someone captured drone footage and shared it online as if it were Netflix content. That’s a year of our hard work, thousands of hours from hundreds of people, and crores of rupees leaked because of one rogue drone. We couldn’t even test the video properly. Now we fear more leaks. We took a risk, and it failed. There’s a power glitch happening.
5. The release date update
The Varanasi teaser has received an overwhelmingly positive response, leaving fans eager for more. At the event, SS Rajamouli and the team confirmed that the film is targeting a Sankranti 2027 release.