Varanasi: Rajamouli aims to wrap shoot by June 2026

The production of “Varanasi”, director SS Rajamouli’s ambitious magnum opus, is progressing at a brisk pace. In a recent interview, Rajamouli revealed that nearly 50 percent of the film’s shooting has already been completed, and the remaining portion is currently underway.

“Fifty percent of the shoot, including the Ramayana episode, has been completed. The remaining 50 percent is scheduled to be wrapped up by June 2026,” he stated. He added that once filming concludes, his primary focus will shift to post-production and extensive visual effects work.

“Varanasi” features Mahesh Babu in the lead role, with Priyanka Chopra playing the female lead. Rajamouli clarified that the film will have an approximate runtime of three hours. Unlike “RRR”, it will not feature a high-energy dance number on the lines of “Naatu Naatu.”

He emphasized that while “Varanasi” will boast grand music and impactful songs, there will not be a mass dance track like “Naatu Naatu.” “The emotional payoff element will deliver a bigger high than my previous films. There is a complex episode that requires extensive VFX work, which is time-consuming,” he explained.

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Rajamouli also made it clear that “Varanasi” is not a sci-fi film, but a mythological drama infused with fantasy elements.