A single line from S S Karthikeya was enough to send Varanasi deeper into must-watch territory. Presenting the film at Comic Con Experience Mexico 2026, the producer revealed that S S Rajamouli’s next spectacle includes “20 minutes of Ramayana,” a creative detail that instantly gave the Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer a richer mythic charge.
That reveal lands at a moment when Varanasi is already commanding rare attention for an Indian film this far ahead of release. After the first glimpse played at Le Grand Rex in Paris to a roaring response, Karthikeya’s comments in Mexico added fresh insight into the film’s emotional and cultural design, suggesting that epic tradition and family values sit at the heart of its narrative.
Karthikeya Connects Varanasi To Mexico’S Storytelling Roots
At CCXP Mexico 2026, Karthikeya spoke about the similarities he sees between Indian and Mexican cultural storytelling, explaining why Varanasi may find resonance well beyond its home market. He said, “There are lot of similarities that we have seen like even the lot of comics or the stories of the film coming out from Mexico are drawn from their history from the Aztec or the Mayan civilization, and in India we really get inspired by our epics by Ramayana or the Mahabharat. In Varanasi, we have 20 minutes of Ramayana.”
He went on to describe the warmth he felt in Mexico and how those parallels connect back to the film’s core values. Karthikeya said, “Going in the city of Mexico and meeting people is so welcoming and I find same kind of warmth in my city in my country, and the food, even the spice I don’t think I can get that spice from anywhere else apart from India and when I come to Mexico and also the family values that you kind of hear the Mexicans hold I find that also very similar, and the family values is very integral part significant in the story of Varanasi and I feel there are lot of factors people will relate to, and enjoy the film.”
The quote does more than tease a narrative element. It frames Varanasi as a film trying to bridge mythology, emotion and cultural memory in a way that can travel across borders without losing its Indian soul.
Inside The World And Creative Spine Of Varanasi
Varanasi is directed by S. S. Rajamouli and written with V. Vijayendra Prasad and S. S. Kanchi. The cast is led by Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, with music by M. M. Keeravani. The film is backed by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business.
Available details position Varanasi as an epic action-adventure centered on Rudhra, with the story unfolding across timelines as danger closes in on the holy city of Varanasi. The first character reveals, including Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha, have already helped intensify audience curiosity ahead of its April 7, 2027 theatrical release.
Where Varanasi Fits In Mahesh Babu’S Career Arc
Mahesh Babu was last seen in the 2024 theatrical release Guntur Kaaram. Before that, he headlined Sarkaru Vaari Paata in 2022. Those releases reflect a phase in which the actor has balanced mainstream star power with careful project selection, keeping his filmography relatively lean over the last few years.
With Varanasi, Mahesh Babu steps into a role that appears rooted in mythology, action and emotional conflict, offering a distinctly different screen space from his recent commercial outings. At this point in his career, the film places him in a high-visibility creative collaboration that could mark a notable shift in how his on-screen persona evolves next.
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