The title of SSMB29 is now officially Varanasi. To be released in theatres in Summer 2027, the magnum opus comes from the Rajamouli-Mahesh Babu duo.
The speeches by the duo at today's title-reveal event was evident that they believe they were destined to take on this Ramayana-inspired, divine-themed, power-packed visual extravaganza. "My father (Krishna) used to tell me to act in a Puranic movie. I never listened to him. Today, he must be listening to me up there," the Guntur Kaaram actor said with a tinge of sentimentality. His character, Rudhra, is directly inspired by the Sri Rama iconography, mythology and divinity.
Rajamouli said that he was in two minds when he imagined Mahesh as a Sri Rama-themed character. "I felt Lord Krishna would suit him more. And I was not sure how well he would suit a calm and equanimous character like Rama. Nevertheless, I had hope that he would fit in. When I did the look-test, I was blown away," the Baahubali director said. In his speech, he passingly mentioned his lack of faith in God. "However, my wife is a devotee of Hanuman. She talks to him as though he were a friend," the RRR maker said.
The most important episode of the movie was shot for 60 working days. "It will be one of the best episodes in my and Mahesh's filmographies," Rajamouli assured the audience.
Varanasi, co-starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Priyanka Chopra, has music by MM Keeravani. Writer Vijayendra Prasad stated that a 30-minute block in the film will lay bare Mahesh Babu's 'nata vishwaroopam'.
