The finish line is finally coming into view for Varanasi. After months of anticipation around SS Rajamouli’s globe-spanning epic, producer S S Karthikeya has revealed that the Mahesh Babu-starrer now has only four to five days of shooting left, with post-production already progressing in parallel and expected to wrap by January 2027. For a film mounted on this scale, that is the clearest sign yet that its April 7, 2027 theatrical rollout is firmly taking shape.
Varanasi Nears End Of Shoot
Karthikeya shared the update while attending a pre-release event for another production, offering a rare status check on the film’s current phase. He said, “We only have four to five days of shooting left to go for completing the film. Post-production work on ‘Varanasi’ is happening simultaneously. It is progressing at a brisk pace and we should be done with everything by January next year.”
That update does more than narrow the production timeline. It signals that Varanasi is moving into the stretch where scale, spectacle and schedule must lock together before the final run to theatres.
Rajamouli’s Vision For Rudhra
The film’s first major character reveal had already hinted at the ambition Rajamouli is pursuing. Stills from the Africa schedule introduced Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, framed against dramatic natural landscapes that pushed the project’s visual canvas into sharp focus.
Rajamouli had described the character in striking terms, saying, “Rudhra was born to fulfill a purpose much larger than himself. He carries a destiny he did not ask for. He is witty, he is vulnerable, and he is fierce. That is what Mahesh brought to him. Anyone can play fierce. Very few can play fierce and fragile in the same breath. These frames are from our Africa schedule, and the land gave us something no set could. Shooting around Kilimanjaro and in the Maasai Mara, I was stunned. There were mornings when I felt even the 1.43:1 IMAX frame could not hold what was in front of us.”
Cast And Story World
Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead. Priyanka plays Mandakini, while Prithviraj takes on the antagonist’s role as Kumbha. The film features music by M M Keeravani and is backed by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business.
The story is being positioned as an epic adventure that unfolds across eras and continents, following Rudhra from the sacred landscapes of India to distant international terrain. That sweep of myth, travel and spectacle has helped define the film’s identity from the start.
Mahesh Babu And The Release Runway Ahead
Mahesh Babu was last seen in Guntur Kaaram in 2024, after Sarkaru Vaari Paata in 2022, making Varanasi his next major big screen event. More importantly, it brings him into first-time collaboration with Rajamouli, a pairing that has carried unusual weight from the moment the project took shape.
With January 2027 now marked as the target for finishing post-production and April 7, 2027 locked as release day, the months ahead are set to shift attention from production updates to the film’s final build-up. For a project of this scale, that runway may be where Varanasi truly begins to announce itself.
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