Mahesh Babu’s Look in S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Varanasi’ Unveiled
Here's what's trending across India right now:
Variety Plus Icon Click to expand the Mega Menu Plus Icon Click to Expand Search Input Variety Plus Icon Read Next: Naseeruddin Shah, Gurvinder Singh Turn a Village’s Real Grief Into Locarno Competition Title ‘Rehmat’: ‘It’s Important That These Films Get Made’ Home Movie News Aug 8, 2026 10:47pm PT Mahesh Babu’s Look in S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Varanasi’ Unveiled
Adding to this, Two new character stills of Mahesh Babu from S.S. Rajamouli ‘s “ Varanasi ” were rolled out Sunday to mark the star’s birthday, showing his character Rudhra on location in Africa.
Meanwhile, The movie's story spans thousands of years and traverses multiple continents, with locations ranging from Antarctica to Africa to the titular Indian city. Babu plays the dual roles of the protagonist Rudhra and Hindu God Rama, Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays a character named Mandakini and the main antagonist Kumbha is played by Prithviraj Sukumaran. Related Stories Stephen King's 'Carrie' Series Sets October Rollout Date, Drops Horrifying New Trailer 'Robocop' Reboot Series Set at Prime Video
Notably, The images were shot at the Kilimanjaro and Maasai Mara locations, two of the African settings featured in the movie. In one still, Mahesh Babu reclines on a bamboo raft in a jungle setting, dressed in a loose olive-toned shirt and dark cargo trousers, with tousled curly hair and a full beard. The other image shows him in profile against the African savannah, with giraffes and zebras visible in the background. Popular on Variety
As per the latest buzz, Rajamouli described the character’s dual nature in a note accompanying the stills. “Rudhra was born to fulfil a purpose much larger than himself. He carries a destiny he did not ask for. He is witty, he is vulnerable, and he is fierce. That is what Mahesh brought to him. Anyone can play fierce. Very few can play fierce and fragile in the same breath,” he shared in an Instagram post .
In further updates, The director also reflected on the Africa shoot itself. “These frames are from our Africa schedule, and the land gave us something no set could. Shooting around Kilimanjaro and in the Masai Mara, I was stunned. There were mornings I felt even the 1.43:1 Imax frame could not hold what was in front of us,” he shared.
On top of that, The stills mark the latest in a series of character reveals from the production, following images of Priyanka Chopra Jonas rolled out for her birthday.
Babu, who spent a year preparing for the role, underwent three months of Kalari martial arts training solely to adjust his posture for the character's period-appropriate bearing. "I'm playing Lord Rama's character, it required posture… you can't stand like modern characters," he has shared to Variety .
Source: Variety