Mahesh Babu’s nervous first meeting with SS Rajamouli; The 'Varanasi' story that changed everything

Big films often start with small moments. For Mahesh Babu, one such moment came inside SS Rajamouli’s office. It was not a shoot, not a launch, and not a public event. It was just a narration. But that encounter was the only divergence from the course. Mahesh Babu recently spoke about the first time he heard the tale of 'Varanasi'; he expressed his mix of excitement and dread. This was his first experience with a movie on such a massive scale.

'Varanasi' narration changed things for Mahesh Babu

In a post shared by the film’s official X page, Mahesh Babu spoke about his first interaction with SS Rajamouli for 'Varanasi.' He said the narration “blew his mind.” He was excited but frightened at the same time. The scale of the film that Rajamouli was directing was not a cause for concern for Mahesh Babu. After returning home he informed his wife about the size of this film that scares him. However, he is completely in awe of his storytelling prowess in this genre. There was fear at the beginning, but when he met Rajamouli, he lost his fear. Mahesh Babu is now at ease with Rajamouli because of his direction. The fear turned into trust. At present, Mahesh Babu is enjoying his work and is confident about the final product.

'Varanasi'—A massive film on a grand scale

SS Rajamouli also shared important details about 'Varanasi.' He described approximately 25 minutes of the movie as focused on the mythological time. The film features Priyanka Chopra in a prominent role, and April 7, 2027, is the release date. In November 2025, at the title look event, Rajamouli revealed that he had filmed a major part of the Ramayana in Varanasi. The one-line summary on Letterboxd hints at a powerful story. It talks about an asteroid heading towards Varanasi, an apocalyptic situation, and a superhero who flies across continents at the last moment to save humanity from destruction.

From fear to faith

What started from a nervous meeting is ending up as a revolutionary collaboration. For Mahesh Babu, 'Varanasi' is more than just a film. It is a feat, a metamorphosis, and a great achievement. What once scared him is the story he believes in.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”