“RRR” Filmmaker’s “Varanasi” To Cost $150 Million

Indian filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s “RRR” shook the world in 2022, the title produced on a major $72 million budget due to its extensive VFX and action scenes.

That made it the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release, but it was worth it – the title became a breakout global success story, pulling in $166 million U.S. dollars worldwide and leading to audiences dancing in cinemas.

The title won the Oscar for Best Song for “Naatu Naatu,” was considered one of the ten best films of the year by the National Board of Review, and won or was nominated for many other awards.

Now, Rajamouli is returning with “Varanasi,” a globe-trotting adventure starring Mahesh Babu, Chatrapathi Sekhar, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas and which opens in cinemas in April 2027.

A new report at Variety (via World of Reel) indicates the film will come in at a budget more than double that of “RRR” – $150 milion. It is, no question, the biggest and most expensive Indian film ever made.

Much of that expense ties to the extensive visual effects, lengthy shoot spanning multiple locations around India, the Amboseli National Park in Kenya and the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Reports have highlighted the extensive visual effects in the upcoming epic, not to mention its lengthy shooting schedule across more than seven countries.

The story follows the adventures of Rudhra (Babu) as the city of Varanasi in India faces the impending arrival of an asteroid. The film is said to draw on the “structure and emotional tone of classic adventure cinema”. It’s also the first non-English language film to be shot in 1.43:1 IMAX format.