SS Rajamouli’s SSMB 29 starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra mounted on a massive $135M (Rs 1188 crore) budget: Report

One of the most awaited films on the horizon is SS Rajamouli’s upcoming yet-to-be-titled SSMB 29, headlined by Mahesh Babu along with Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The team recently wrapped up an extensive shoot in Kenya, where Rajamouli also met the country’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign & Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi.

A report by Kenyan portal The Star noted that Rajamouli met Mudavadi on Tuesday after concluding the Kenya schedule. The portal pegged the film’s budget at $135 million (Rs 1188 crore), terming it “one of the largest film productions in Asian cinema history.” Earlier in July, another Kenyan portal, The Citizen, had placed the budget at $116 million (Rs 1022 crore).

95% of African sequences filmed in Kenya

Confirming the film’s massive scale, Musalia Mudavadi revealed that nearly 95% of all African sequences for SSMB 29 were shot in Kenya. In a detailed post on X, he lauded Rajamouli’s decision after extensive location scouting across East Africa.

“Kenya this past fortnight became the stage for one of the world’s greatest filmmakers, @ssrajamouli, the visionary Indian director, screenwriter, and storyteller whose works have captured the imagination of audiences across continents,” wrote Mudavadi.

Masai Mara to Amboseli: Kenya etched into SSMB 29

The Kenyan diplomat further disclosed that Rajamouli’s 120-member crew filmed across breathtaking landscapes, from the sweeping plains of the Masai Mara and Naivasha to the rugged Samburu and iconic Amboseli.

Calling the film “the largest production in Asia,” he added, “This landmark decision to film in Kenya is more than a cinematic milestone, it is a powerful statement about our country’s beauty, hospitality, and place on the world stage. As the crew departs today for India to continue production, Kenya stands proud, ready to share its story with the world through the lens of SSMB 29.”

Set for global release across 120 countries

Mudavadi also revealed that the film is being positioned as a global release across 120 countries, aiming to reach over a billion viewers worldwide.

Meanwhile, the film’s journey began with a muhurat puja in January, followed by shoots in Odisha and Hyderabad. Despite tight security, pictures and videos from the sets leaked online. On Mahesh Babu’s birthday in August, Rajamouli released a poster referring to the film as a “globetrotter,” sparking speculation about its title. More details are expected to be unveiled in November. The expectations are high for Mahesh Babu's film.