Mahesh Babu Unveiled as Rudhra in Rajamouli's 'Varanasi'
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- Mahesh Babu plays dual roles as protagonist Rudhra and Hindu God Rama in S.S. Rajamouli's 'Varanasi,' with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as antagonist Kumbha.
- The two newly released stills were shot at Kilimanjaro and Maasai Mara in Africa, showing Babu reclining on a bamboo raft in a jungle setting and in profile against the savannah with giraffes and zebras in the background.
- The film's story spans thousands of years across multiple continents, with locations ranging from Antarctica to Africa to the titular Indian city of Varanasi.
- Babu spent a year preparing for the role, including three months of Kalari martial arts training to adjust his posture for the character's period-appropriate bearing, plus several months training with a track and field team to modify his running style.
- 'Varanasi' is Rajamouli's follow-up to the Academy Award-winning 'RRR,' with M.M. Keeravani, who won the Oscar for 'RRR's' 'Naatu Naatu,' returning to compose the score.
- The film opens in theaters worldwide on April 7, 2027, with the character reveals continuing a series that followed Priyanka Chopra Jonas's birthday images.
Why it matters: Rajamouli's first film since the Oscar-winning 'RRR' carries enormous commercial and prestige expectations for Indian cinema's global reach, with a multi-continent shoot spanning thousands of years of story. Reuniting with Oscar-winning composer M.M. Keeravani signals another major awards push, while Babu's dual-role casting and year-long physical preparation position the production as a tentpole event for the April 2027 release window.
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