Varanasi Plot Leaked, 'Shiva Devotee' Mahesh Babu To Face Off Against A 'Mastermind' In SS Rajamouli's Film?

The plot of Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s upcoming film, Varanasi, has been revealed online. The VFX company working on SS Rajamouli’s film uploaded a synopsis without revealing too many details about the project. The synopsis has now gone viral across social media platforms.

Varanasi Plot

The synopsis on Cine Site’s website reads, “A Shiva devotee embarks on a perilous quest across time to uncover a lost cosmic artefact of immense power. As he pieces together ancient secrets hidden through centuries, he realises the truth behind his mission—the very force that set him on this path is a calculating mastermind with a vision of absolute global domination. Forever. Unveiled.”

SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi May Release In Two Parts?

Meanwhile, according to a report by Bollywood Hungama, the

upcoming epic action-adventure could be split into two films to accommodate its expansive narrative. The decision, if finalised, mirrors a storytelling approach that Rajamouli successfully executed with Baahubali, which changed the dynamics of large-scale filmmaking in India and paved the way for multi-part franchise films.

A source familiar with the development told the publication, “Three hours-plus would not be enough for Varanasi. They are looking at extending it into a two-part format,” adding, “Rajamouli and his team feel this extended format would afford them the liberty to tell a more expanded story without looking anxiously at the clock.”

Where Has The Film Been Shot?

Despite being set in Varanasi, the film is not being shot in the holy city. Instead, the makers have recreated an elaborate version of Varanasi in Hyderabad. Reports indicate that large sets, including a replica of the Ratneshwar Mahadev temple, have been constructed to bring authenticity to the story.

A full-scale temple structure has also been built for sequences set in the past and will later be submerged underwater to depict scenes from the present timeline. Filming took place extensively in Hyderabad, Odisha and Kenya. With a budget of Rs 1,000–1,300 crore, it is set to become one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. Varanasi is scheduled to be theatrically released in April 2027.