Indian filmmaker SS Rajamouli, known for global hits such as RRR and Baahubali, has announced his next project: a time-travel film titled Varanasi. The announcement was made at an event in Hyderabad on Saturday, attended by thousands of fans.
The film, previously code-named 'Globe Trotter', draws inspiration from Hindu mythology and borrows its title from the holy city of Varanasi. A nearly four-minute teaser revealed a visually rich time-travel adventure. Rajamouli confirmed that one sequence is based on an episode from the Ramayana, a Hindu epic.
Varanasi stars Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Chopra Jonas, who has worked in Hollywood, returns to Indian cinema with this film. The poster shows her character Mandakini holding a pistol while balancing on a cliff edge. Babu appears as a bloodied warrior riding a white bull with a trident.
Babu called the project 'once-in-a-lifetime' and expressed pride in the film. The teaser was screened on a 110-by-130-foot screen at Ramoji Film City, with fireworks and music creating a festival atmosphere. The film is expected to release in 2027 in IMAX format.
Rajamouli's previous works, including the Baahubali series and RRR, have brought Telugu cinema global recognition. RRR won an Oscar for best original song, while Baahubali broke box-office records in India and abroad.
