Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Feb 22: A poster claiming to reveal actor Mahesh Babu’s look as Lord Rama in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming magnum opus Varanasi has gone viral on social media, but there is no official confirmation from the film’s team.
The film, directed by S. S. Rajamouli, is described as one of the most expensive Indian feature films ever mounted and is still over a year away from release. Rajamouli had earlier confirmed that part of the film is set in the Treta Yuga, with Mahesh Babu portraying Lord Rama in flashback sequences.
On Saturday, a social media handle shared a poster on X (formerly Twitter), claiming it showed Mahesh Babu’s first look as Lord Rama displayed on a digital hoarding of Mythri Cinemas in Guntur. The image featured a silhouette of the actor standing atop a cliff in saffron attire, holding a bow and rudraksha mala, with a quiver of arrows on his back.
However, users were quick to question the authenticity of the poster, pointing out that the makers of Varanasi had not officially unveiled Mahesh Babu’s look. Observers noted that it would be unlikely for such a major reveal to occur without a formal announcement.
Even X’s AI tool Grok stated that the image was described as a leaked poster from a hoarding in Guntur and had not been officially released by the film’s team. While Rajamouli has confirmed Mahesh Babu’s role as Lord Rama, the specific image remains unverified.
Despite clarifications, some fans speculated that if the poster reflected Rajamouli’s vision, the scale of the film would be massive. Others drew comparisons with Ranbir Kapoor, who is set to portray Lord Rama in director Nitesh Tiwari’s two-part adaptation of Ramayana, with the first part scheduled for release in October this year.
In November 2025, Rajamouli unveiled the title and first look of Varanasi at a grand event held at Ramoji Film City. The three-minute video introduced a storyline that spans continents and centuries, blending science fiction elements with episodes from the Ramayana.
The film stars Mahesh Babu in the lead alongside Priyanka Chopra, marking her return to Indian cinema, while Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the antagonist. The big-budget venture is slated for release in April 2027.