Responsible for one of the biggest spectacles of 2022, the director of RRR and Baahubali: The Beginning, S.S. Rajamouli, has unveiled the first images for Varanasi, his next big epic. Touted as his most ambitious project yet, which is saying something, the concept teaser for the movie was released before an audience of 50K in Hyderabad.
The concept teaser offers us a glimpse at the director’s grand scope, which will span across different eras and continents. It’s worth noting that some of the imagery appears to be touched up with AI, which is more noticeable when it comes to the facial expressions of the actor in question.
Everything We Know About Varanasi So far
Varanasi continues Rajamouli’s knack for grandiose productions. Starring Mahesh Babu in the lead, his character, Rudhra, is described as an archaeologist in search of ancient artifacts, pretty akin to that of Indiana Jones. But as the teaser suggests, the story isn’t strictly confined to a globe-trotting adventure, as it’s set to span across millennia and will incorporate mythical elements.
Quantico star Priyanka Chopra will star opposite Babu in the upcoming epic, which is being filmed specifically for the IMAX experience. Babu, in addition to playing Rudhra, will also take on the role of Rama. And speaking of his Rama sequences, the director described them as one of the most memorable works in his career (via Cinema Express).
We had Mahesh Babu in the role of Lord Rama for the first day of the photoshoot. I always imagined him more suitable for Krishna, but he proved me wrong. I kept that image as my phone wallpaper until I realised others might see it. Every time I looked at Mahesh as Lord Rama, I got goosebumps. There are many sub-episodes within it. It will be the most memorable sequence in my films and in Mahesh’s career,
Despite the movie’s grand scope, Rajamouli isn’t completely relying on the visual department to do the heavy lifting, as an entire set for the titular city was built to accommodate the movie’s filming.
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S. S. Rajamouli is Taking the Christopher Nolan Approach With Varanasi
When it comes to embracing physical sets and props for movies, no one does it like Christopher Nolan, who had a Trojan horse built from the ground up for The Odyssey. The RRR director took a similar approach to the movie’s production by reportedly having a replica of Kashi built in Hyderabad.
Moreover, like Nolan, whose upcoming Greek epic will break new ground in the realm of IMAX, the RRR director is also prioritizing the IMAX experience for his upcoming epic. And if RRR and Baahubali: The Beginning are of any testament, his works do need to be experienced on the premium format.
With the movie still two years away, the wait is going to be excruciating for fans. Hopefully, more updates will start rolling our way in the coming months, and the movie won’t fall short of his previous hits.
Are you excited for Rajamouli’s next epic? Drop your thoughts below!
Varanasi is slated to premiere globally sometime in 2027.
