After nearly six years away from Indian cinema, Priyanka Chopra Jonas had made peace with the idea that her return would happen only when it truly felt right.
That moment arrived unexpectedly when filmmaker S S Rajamouli called her with a role he felt she simply could not turn down. The character intrigued her instantly, but what finally convinced her was a deeply personal desire she had been carrying for years.
“I haven’t done an Indian film in six years,” Priyanka Chopra Jonas said. “So when SS Rajamouli called me and said the female character was really cool, I told him I had one request—can you make me dance, please? I haven’t danced for so long.”
Known for his larger-than-life storytelling, S S Rajamouli took that request to heart — and then some. What followed was a high-energy, physically demanding dance sequence that became one of the most talked-about aspects of the film’s shoot.
The scale and intensity of the choreography left even seasoned performers feeling the strain, including co-star Mahesh Babu, who jokingly held Priyanka Chopra Jonas responsible.
“And he made her dance—and how,” Mahesh Babu laughed.
Looking back, Priyanka Chopra Jonas admitted she may not have fully realised what she was signing up for. “I was like, Whoa, I should not have asked,” she said, recalling the long hours and relentless rehearsals. “We’ve been dancing a lot, poor Mahesh was like, Just because of you. Because of you I have to do it too”
Yet despite the exhaustion, the experience appears to have been deeply rewarding. Mahesh Babu revealed that one of the songs already filmed has stayed with the cast long after the cameras stopped rolling. “I think it’s sensational,” he said. “One song we’ve already shot for just keeps playing in our minds. She kept singing it all the time.”
According to Mahesh Babu, the song exists purely because Priyanka Chopra Jonas wanted to dance — and it may well become one of the film’s most memorable moments.
The film, titled Varanasi, marks another ambitious chapter in S S Rajamouli’s career. With Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran in pivotal roles, the project has already captured widespread attention.
Featuring a massive budget, cutting-edge technology and an international vision, the director is once again pushing the boundaries of Indian cinema.
What truly sets Varanasi apart, however, is its unprecedented shooting plan. The film is set to become the first Indian production to be shot in Antarctica, placing it among only a handful of films globally to use the frozen continent as a backdrop.
Filming is expected to resume soon in Hyderabad before moving overseas.
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