Rajamouli Unveils 'Varanasi': Mahesh Babu Epic Gets Its Title and First Teaser

After years of secrecy and a string of working titles, SS Rajamouli's next has a name: 'Varanasi'. The film, long referred to as SSMB29 and later 'GlobeTrotter', was formally unveiled with a first teaser at a large-scale event in Hyderabad, ending a wait that had become its own source of speculation.

The action-adventure stars Mahesh Babu, who appears in a Rudhra avatar, alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini. Prithviraj Sukumaran has been cast as the antagonist, a scientist named Kumbha, rounding out a cross-industry headline trio that spans Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam cinema.

From secret project to titled event

The long path to a title is itself part of the story. Carried for years under the placeholder SSMB29 and later 'GlobeTrotter', the project built anticipation through sheer secrecy, with each working title becoming a talking point. Choosing to reveal the name and first teaser at a grand Hyderabad event turned the announcement into a spectacle in its own right.

Staging the reveal on that scale reflects how Rajamouli's films are now marketed: as occasions rather than mere releases. The director's stature after his previous work means even a title unveiling can command national attention, and the event was engineered to do exactly that.

A globe-spanning swing from the RRR director

Reports peg the film as a globe-trotting epic mounted on a budget in the 900 to 1,000 crore range, underlining the scale Rajamouli is chasing after RRR. The makers have set a worldwide theatrical release for 7 April 2027, giving the production a long runway and a clear target.

The headline details establish the ambition plainly:

• Title 'Varanasi', revealed after years as SSMB29 and 'GlobeTrotter'
• Mahesh Babu in a Rudhra avatar, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini
• Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist, a scientist named Kumbha
• A reported budget in the 900 to 1,000 crore range
• A worldwide theatrical release set for 7 April 2027

A budget approaching four figures in crore places the film among the most expensive Indian productions ever attempted, a level of investment that signals the makers' intent to compete on a global stage. Following RRR, which travelled far beyond India, the globe-trotting framing suggests Rajamouli is once again aiming at an international audience as much as a domestic one.

Why it matters

The title reveal instantly became one of the most-discussed Telugu cinema moments of the year, with the first look of Mahesh Babu's character driving much of the online chatter following the event. The combination of a marquee director, a cross-industry cast and an enormous budget guarantees attention long before release.

With nearly two years until the April 2027 date, 'Varanasi' is positioned to dominate conversation across the run-up, each new reveal likely to generate fresh momentum. Whether it can match or surpass the global reach of Rajamouli's earlier work remains the central question, but the scale of the ambition, and of the spending, makes it one of the most closely watched Indian films on the horizon.

The NE Times View

Rajamouli has turned title reveals into national spectacles, and that is both his genius and his burden. The NE Times View: after the RRR phenomenon, his every move carries outsized expectation, and a 2027 epic invoking Varanasi promises scale and cultural weight in equal measure. The danger is that hype now precedes the film by years. Indian cinema's biggest brand must deliver substance, not just spectacle, to justify the wait.

This article is original commentary and analysis by The NE Times. Background facts were referenced from Pinkvilla, 123Telugu.