SS Rajamouli reveals Ramayana-inspired 25-minute sequence in Varanasi took 60 days to shoot

Discussing the scale of the effort involved, Rajamouli highlighted the creative and technical challenges posed by the sequence.

• Rajamouli's Varanasi has a 25-minute Ramayana scene filmed in 60 days.
• Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra star in epic film, out April 7, 2027
• The film blends mythology and emotion, with a grand scale and relatable story

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Ace filmmaker SS Rajamouli, who is gearing up for the release of his ambitious pan-India project Varanasi, recently opened up about the film’s elaborate shooting process and what he described as one of its most creatively fulfilling portions. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles and promises a grand cinematic canvas rooted in emotion and mythology.

In a conversation with The Wrap, Rajamouli spoke candidly about a major 25-minute episode in the film that draws inspiration from the Ramayana, revealing that the sequence alone took nearly 60 days to film.

Reflecting on his long-standing connection with Indian epics, the director said, “Most of my films are inspirations from the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Indian epics. In this film, I had a chance to literally shoot one episode from Ramayana,” the RRR filmmaker shared.

He further explained that the extended sequence is not a single moment but a layered combination of several narrative beats brought together into one massive cinematic experience. Elaborating on its structure, Rajamouli stated, “That episode of the film is a combination of multiple sub-sub-episodes. So this entire thing put together is about 25 minutes in the film, one time in the film,” before adding, “Shooting that set of episodes, each one was like making a film on its own. The emotions that we had to go through that, the audience, the characters had to go through that sequence are different from each episode.”

Discussing the scale of the effort involved, Rajamouli highlighted the creative and technical challenges posed by the sequence. He noted that every segment required a fresh approach, making the process both demanding and intense. According to him, each sub-episode felt like embarking on a brand-new film, pushing the team to constantly adapt and evolve through the shoot.

Praising the dedication and collective effort of his team, the director also said, “We had to put all our brains together, all our efforts together, to shoot that sequence. We shot it for 60 days, and one of the most satisfying sequences for them.”

Also read: Priyanka Chopra on learning Telugu for Varanasi with Mahesh Babu: I have no idea how to improvise back...

In a separate interview with Polygon, Rajamouli also touched upon the on-screen chemistry between Priyanka Chopra and Mahesh Babu, and how their characters navigate the film’s narrative. Emphasising the emotional core of the story despite its massive scale, he said, “It's so endearing and relatable. Even when the canvas is gigantic, it's these emotions that people will resonate with,” Rajamouli stated.

Meanwhile, the makers of Varanasi recently unveiled the film’s official title at a grand Globetrotter event in Hyderabad. Also starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, the much-anticipated epic is slated for a theatrical release on April 7, 2027.