3 min readNew DelhiJun 28, 2026 12:56 PM IST
Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has taken a short break from shooting his upcoming film Varanasi for a tour of Europe. On June 27, screenings of his blockbuster RRR were held as part of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France. During a masterclass at the festival, Rajamouli spoke about Varanasi and confirmed that the project is being conceived as a standalone film rather than a franchise.
During the interaction at the event, SS Rajamouli revealed what people can expect from Varanasi. “You are going to experience the cold and ice of Antarctica. The gods of Ramayana, the natural disasters and fantastic elements. That’s the experience you are going to have, but at the core of all this is the emotions of father and son. All this makes Varanasi for you,” he said.
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The director was then asked if the highly-anticipated action-adventure movie would be a standalone film or a franchise. He replied, “One film. Yes, one film.”
As soon as a video from the event surfaced on Reddit, fans flooded the comments section with excitement. “This is going to be peak. Let this be the reason to end the multi-part pan-India movies in our industry,” a fan commented. “Make it a 4-hour film without any cuts,” a user wrote. “I still feel this is a two-part film. Three hours doesn’t feel enough for all that we saw in the teaser,” a third comment read.
When a glimpse of Varanasi was revealed at the event, the French audience cheered and whistled for the team. SS Rajamouli also revealed that Mahesh Babu would play the role of Lord Rama in one of the film’s scenes. Writer Vijayendra Prasad showcased a 30-minute scene from the movie and said, “It’s a war between Rama and Kumbhakarna. You saw in the trailer, right? You saw Rama and Kumbhakarna. You saw Lord Hanuman’s tail and a chariot on it. I’m talking about that… spellbound.”
About Varanasi
Helmed by SS Rajamouli and written by Vijayendra Prasad, Varanasi is his first feature since the huge worldwide success of RRR. Featuring Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj and Priyanka Chopra, the film is said to blend mythology and Indian folklore with sci-fi elements. The movie, set to hit theatres in April 2027, also marks Priyanka’s return to Indian cinema after a gap of eight years.