Priyanka Chopra calls Varanasi a “career-defining” film, heaps praise on director SS Rajamouli

Priyanka Chopra calls Varanasi a “career-defining” film, heaps praise on director SS Rajamouli

• Priyanka Chopra calls Varanasi a career-defining film for her
• She returns to Indian cinema, working with director SS Rajamouli
• Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu and releases worldwide in April 2027

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Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas has expressed strong confidence that the upcoming action-adventure film Varanasi will be a defining moment in her career, praising acclaimed filmmaker SS Rajamouli for his vision and storytelling. The comments came during recent media interactions ahead of the film’s release, where Priyanka spoke about what the project means to her as she returns to Indian cinema after several years abroad.

Priyanka, who portrays a character named Mandakini in Varanasi, stated that working with Rajamouli — widely regarded as one of India’s most successful directors — has been an exciting experience, and she believes the film will leave a lasting impact on her career. The actor said, “The filmmaker’s name is SS Rajamouli, sir, and he is one of the best that we have in India. His movie is going to be really career-defining for me, I think. I am very excited about it.

Speaking with Variety, Priyanka further added that the film is "unlike anything" she has ever done. “This is unlike anything I’ve ever done. We travel from like Antarctica to … And just the worlds that he creates are so larger than life, and nobody has the vision that he does. So even I’m excited to see more," she had said.

The film marks Priyanka’s highly anticipated return to Indian cinema after her last Bollywood appearance in 2019. She previously shared with foreign media that Varanasi takes her into creative territories she hasn’t explored before, with elaborate world-building and grand sequences that are characteristic of Rajamouli’s style. The actor also joked about requesting a traditional dance number before formally agreeing to sign onto the project, saying that she wanted to get that creative element included.

Also read: Priyanka Chopra shares a romantic kiss with Nick Jonas at The Bluff premiere in LA

Varanasi also stars Mahesh Babu as the lead and features Prithviraj Sukumaran in an important role. The film has been in production for months and is being developed on a large scale, combining Indian mythology with globe-trotting adventure themes. According to industry reports, it is slated for a worldwide theatrical release in April 2027, with music composed by M. M. Keeravani and backing from prominent studios.