Two upcoming Indian films are currently competing for the tag of the most expensive movie ever made. One is Rajamouli’s “Varanasi,” starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, while the other is Ranbir Kapoor’s “Ramayana.”
Media reports have claimed that Rajamouli is spending nearly Rs 1,200 crore on “Varanasi.” Given that the highest-grossing film in Mahesh Babu’s career has earned around Rs 200 crore, many have questioned whether such a massive budget is realistic. At the same time, Rajamouli’s track record with blockbusters like “Baahubali 2” and “RRR,” both of which crossed Rs 1,000 crore globally, has lent some credibility to the claims.
“Varanasi” is being promoted largely as a Rajamouli film rather than a Mahesh Babu starrer. Similarly, “Ramayana” is being marketed as a two-part epic with a reported combined budget of around Rs 4,000 crore.
However, many industry insiders believe these numbers are exaggerated and intended more for publicity than accuracy.
Actor Manoj Bajpayee has now voiced the same opinion publicly. He described the reported budgets of “Varanasi” and “Ramayana” as PR-driven figures, saying the practice of inflating budgets for hype has existed in the film industry for nearly fifteen years.
According to Bajpayee, such announcements are often part of promotional campaigns designed to generate buzz long before a film reaches theaters.
