Mumbai: Filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli has officially unveiled the release date of his ambitious next project Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra. The big announcement came on March 27, 2026, on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. The movie is scheduled to release in theatres on Rama Navami 2027, giving fans a clear timeline of what is being billed as one of the biggest Indian movies in the making.
The makers shared the update through the film’s official social media handle along with a special video wishing audiences on the festive day. The clip includes a glorious silhouette of Lord Hanuman carrying the Sanjeevani herb from Dronagiri Parvat to save Lakshmana, concluding with a beautiful festive message. The caption gave a clue about the grand arrival saying that people can see the spectacle in cinemas by the coming Sri Rama Navami.
A massive vision that may unfold in two parts
While the release date has now been locked, there has been a lot of buzz in the industry suggesting that perhaps Varanasi can be released as a two-part cinematic experience. Reports show that the scale and depth of the story is so vast that even a runtime exceeding three hours may not be enough to do justice to the story. The team is said to be considering splitting the film into two instalments to allow for a more detailed and immersive storytelling approach.
Interestingly, this would not be a sequel format but more of a single story broken into two parts, rather like the format of epic franchises. The idea was said to gain momentum after massive success of films such as Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar The Revenge, where it was proved that audiences are open to extended storytelling if the scale demands it. Rajamouli, who has delivered big-bang epics before, is thought to be possibly playing around with this format to not compromise on the richness of the narrative.
A grand cinematic spectacle in the making
Varanasi is described as a Telugu-language epic that blends fantasy, science fiction, and action adventure elements. The screenplay is co-written by Rajamouli and his father, V. Vijayendra Prasad, who is known for his capacities of developing a powerful and layered story. It is being produced by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business and reportedly is mounted on a huge budget of over Rs 1000 crores, making it one of the costliest films ever attempted in India.
The project also marks an important milestone for Priyanka Chopra as it will be her Telugu film debut. Alongside Mahesh Babu and Priyanka, the film also features Prithviraj Sukumaran in a key role, further strengthening its pan-Indian appeal.
With the mythological overtones, time travelling story and Rajamouli’s signature larger-than-life vision, Varanasi is already promising good times. While fans at least now have a confirmed release date to look forward to, the thought of a two-part release has only increased curiosity about what potentially could be another cinematic event designed by the director.
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