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SS Rajamouli’s much-awaited pan-India adventure film, officially titled **Varanasi** (working title SSARJ#23, earlier rumored to be titled Globetrotter), starring **Mahesh Babu** in the lead role, is confirmed to release worldwide on April 7, 2027. Both Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu shared the official release-date poster on X on Friday, January 31, 2026, with the caption “April 7, 2027… #VARANASI”.

The film’s title and Mahesh Babu’s first look were launched in May 2025 at a grand event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, attended by thousands of fans and featuring one of the largest stages ever built for an Indian film launch (100 feet high, 130 feet wide screen). Following this, the looks of the characters have been revealed: Mahesh Babu plays the lead character **Rudra**, **Priyanka Chopra** plays the character **Mandakini**, and **Prithviraj Sukumaran** plays the villain **Kumbha**.

At the title event, Rajamouli revealed that a big 60-day **Ramayana-inspired episode** is an important part of the film. He described shooting with Mahesh Babu dressed as Lord Ram, calling it an emotional high and one of the most memorable scenes of his career, which was shot with new planning for every sub-episode within the larger arc.

Produced by KL Narayan under Durga Arts, with a budget reported to be over ₹1,000 crore, Varanasi has the script by Rajamouli’s father Vijayendra Prasad, and music by MM Keeravani. Principal photography began in 2025, and the film is pitched as a global action-adventure with Varanasi as its main backdrop.

No discrepancies were found; The date of April 7, 2027 ends the long-running speculations and marks Mahesh Babu’s first release after a gap of four years (after Guntur Karaam in 2024).