SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi First Look Gets 'Incredible Welcome' From French Public During Screening At Le Grand Rex - WATCH

SS Rajamouli’s next ambitious project, Varanasi, has begun making waves internationally even before its release. The Oscar-winning filmmaker, who redefined global attention for Indian cinema with RRR,

received an overwhelming response from French audiences during a special first-look screening in Paris. The visuals from Varanasi were showcased at Le Grand Rex, the world’s largest movie theatre, as part of a film trailer festival. The enthusiastic reception from the French public signals the massive global anticipation surrounding Rajamouli’s next epic, which is slated to hit the big screens in 2027 and stars Priyanka Chopra, Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Prakash Raj.

Varanasi first look screened in world's largest movie theatre

The iconic Parisian theatre Le Grand Rex shared a post on X announcing the special screening of Varanasi’s first look. The post read, "First images of the highly anticipated film by S. S. Rajamouli, #Varanasi, which will arrive on the big screen in 2027. #FestivalDeLaBandeAnnonce". The screening reportedly took place during the Festival de la Bande-Annonce, where audiences were treated to exclusive visuals from the film.Soon after, the official X handle of Varanasi quoted the video clip capturing the electric atmosphere inside the theatre and expressed gratitude for the warm reception. The post stated, "Thank you to Le Grand Rex for this exceptional screening. And thank you Paris, thank you to the French public, for this incredible welcome.From Varanasi to Paris, the adventure begins. See you in 2027 for the complete epic." The interaction, originally shared in French by both handles, showed the film’s growing global footprint a year before release.

Take a look at the visuals:

The video from the screening showed a packed auditorium erupting in applause as the first visuals played on the massive screen. The video will make every Indian proud!

More about Varanasi

Varanasi marks Rajamouli’s first directorial venture after the worldwide success of RRR (2022), which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The film was officially announced during a grand global event livestreamed from Hyderabad in November last year. At the event, the makers revealed the film’s title and introduced key characters.

Superstar Mahesh Babu headlines the film as Rudhra. His first-look visuals showed him holding a trishul while standing atop a bull, a striking image that sparked intense discussion online. Reports suggest that Mahesh Babu will also portray Lord Rama in the film. Priyanka Chopra plays a mysterious character named Mandakini, with her poster depicting her in a yellow saree while holding a gun. Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran essays the antagonist Kumbha, shown in a wheelchair in his character reveal.With its mythological undertones, star-studded cast and now an enthusiastic international response, Varanasi has firmly positioned itself as one of the most awaited Indian films of 2027.