Priyanka Chopra hypes up SS Rajamouli's Varanasi, teases slow-motion action
Priyanka Chopra described SS Rajamouli's Varanasi as an epic action adventure where she has many slow-motion action sequences. Her comments, made on Hey Jonas podcast, sharpened interest in the film as it heads towards its April 2027 release.
Actor Priyanka Chopra offered a fresh update on Varanasi, her upcoming Telugu film with director SS Rajamouli, saying the project has been in production for more than a year and hinting at a film packed with action. Speaking on the Hey Jonas podcast, Priyanka said she has been working on the film for around 14 months and suggested that Rajamouli’s style of filmmaking naturally takes time.
Without revealing much about the film, Priyanka described Varanasi as "this epic adventure around the world and in time" and joked that she gets to do "so many amazing slow-motion jumps". She then laughed and said that was all she could share for now.
Her comments add to the anticipation around one of the most closely watched Indian productions in recent years, which is scheduled to arrive in theatres in April 2027.
Priyanka had earlier told Variety that Varanasi marks her return to Indian cinema after an eight-year gap and said the film is unlike anything she has done before. She said the story takes its characters from Antarctica to other spectacular worlds imagined by Rajamouli, adding that his larger-than-life vision continues to surprise even her.
She also spoke about one condition she had before signing the film. Priyanka said she told Rajamouli that her comeback to Indian films had to include a song and dance number. While that particular sequence is yet to be shot, she said she has already completed another dance set piece featuring highly intricate choreography.
Written by Vijayendra Prasad and directed by Rajamouli, Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Priyanka Chopra. The film blends Indian mythology and folklore with science-fiction elements, including time travel, and is being mounted as a globe-spanning adventure. Rajamouli has also said that the film has an emotional father-son thread at its core.
Earlier, when the film’s teaser was unveiled, Rajamouli confirmed that Mahesh Babu would appear as Lord Rama in one sequence. Vijayendra Prasad later said the film includes a 30-minute war sequence featuring Rama and Kumbhakarna, which he described as one of its standout portions. Prithviraj, too, has spoken about Rajamouli’s process, recalling that one shot in Varanasi took more than 90 takes and calling the filmmaker a "pathbreaker".
Mahesh Babu will be seen playing Rudhra, while Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran will portray the roles of Mandakini and Kumbha, respectively.
Varanasi has already completed its major action sequences, in line with Priyanka’s latest hints about the film’s scale and stunt-heavy moments. Rajamouli has said filming is expected to be completed by October, with the film currently set for a theatrical release in April 2027.
Actor Priyanka Chopra offered a fresh update on Varanasi, her upcoming Telugu film with director SS Rajamouli, saying the project has been in production for more than a year and hinting at a film packed with action. Speaking on the Hey Jonas podcast, Priyanka said she has been working on the film for around 14 months and suggested that Rajamouli’s style of filmmaking naturally takes time.
Without revealing much about the film, Priyanka described Varanasi as "this epic adventure around the world and in time" and joked that she gets to do "so many amazing slow-motion jumps". She then laughed and said that was all she could share for now.
Her comments add to the anticipation around one of the most closely watched Indian productions in recent years, which is scheduled to arrive in theatres in April 2027.
Priyanka had earlier told Variety that Varanasi marks her return to Indian cinema after an eight-year gap and said the film is unlike anything she has done before. She said the story takes its characters from Antarctica to other spectacular worlds imagined by Rajamouli, adding that his larger-than-life vision continues to surprise even her.
She also spoke about one condition she had before signing the film. Priyanka said she told Rajamouli that her comeback to Indian films had to include a song and dance number. While that particular sequence is yet to be shot, she said she has already completed another dance set piece featuring highly intricate choreography.
Written by Vijayendra Prasad and directed by Rajamouli, Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Priyanka Chopra. The film blends Indian mythology and folklore with science-fiction elements, including time travel, and is being mounted as a globe-spanning adventure. Rajamouli has also said that the film has an emotional father-son thread at its core.
Earlier, when the film’s teaser was unveiled, Rajamouli confirmed that Mahesh Babu would appear as Lord Rama in one sequence. Vijayendra Prasad later said the film includes a 30-minute war sequence featuring Rama and Kumbhakarna, which he described as one of its standout portions. Prithviraj, too, has spoken about Rajamouli’s process, recalling that one shot in Varanasi took more than 90 takes and calling the filmmaker a "pathbreaker".
Mahesh Babu will be seen playing Rudhra, while Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran will portray the roles of Mandakini and Kumbha, respectively.
Varanasi has already completed its major action sequences, in line with Priyanka’s latest hints about the film’s scale and stunt-heavy moments. Rajamouli has said filming is expected to be completed by October, with the film currently set for a theatrical release in April 2027.
