What role Mahesh Babu is playing in SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi? Let's decode

In a grand event, SS Rajamouli revealed the title of his next film with a superstar trio comprising South Indian megastar Mahesh Babu, Sukumaran, and our very own desi girl Priyanka Chopra.

Rajamouli’s next project is titled Varanasi, a globetrotter film that will take the audience on a journey not of a decade, but centuries.

SS Rajamouli unveils the title and first glimpse of Mahesh Babu. What role will he play?

SS Rajamouli unveiled the title and first glimpse of his next film with Mahesh Babu. Rajamouli knows no bounds when it comes to filmmaking, and after making the world fall in love with his Baahubali and RRR, here he comes again with a spectacle that will surely take the game of cinema to the next level in India.

Sharing the first look, the makers wrote,''Mahesh Babu as RUDHRA in #VARANASI.''

Made for Inox, the teaser of the forthcoming movie was released at a grand event at Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City. The event, which saw a mind-blowing performance by Shruti Haasan, also featured the surprise teaser release and the first look of the lead actor, Mahesh Babu. In the movie, the superstar plays Rudhra. While the plot of the movie is still under wraps, looking at his appearance, the character seems to be inspired by Lord Shiva. Notably, named Varanasi, the movie is set in a place deeply connected to Lord Shiva.

On stage, Mohan Babu appeared in a grand entrance on the structure of Shiva’s bull, Nandi, with a trishul, which holds deep significance in Hinduism. Watching Mahesh’s grand entrance, the venue, which had over lakhs of fans, erupted in cheers with fans going gaga. The plot of the movie is still under wraps, but looking at the teaser, the movie is going to be inspired by Indian history and Hindu mythology.

The first teaser revolves around different centuries and key events, including the mythological saga, and one such is the Ramayana. In a portion of the Trethayuga, Lanka Nagaram 7200 BCE in the teaser, a man is standing with a bow and arrow in his hand, and there's Lord Hanuman. This has also led to a chatter that Babu will play Lord Ram in the film.

Apart from Mahesh Babu, the movie has Priyanka Chopra playing the role of Mandakini. The first photo has the actress holding a gun as she dons a saree. Meanwhile, Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist Kumbha. More details of the movie, such as release date and plot, have been kept under wraps. However, if reports are to be believed, the movie will release in 2027.