A very significant step forward for Indian films was the teaser of SS Rajamouli’s much-awaited film, Varanasi, which was associated with a milestone by becoming the first Indian film teaser to be shown at the legendary Le Grand Rex theatre in Paris on January 5, 2026.
The teaser, which was 3 minutes and 40 seconds long, was part of the Festival de la Bande-Annonce, proving Rajamouli’s international filmmaking power as he gathered a world audience of the film festival right from the moment of the teaser.
The famous venue had before this hosted the premieres of such blockbusters as Baahubali 2 and Kabali, yet it still remained the first promotional teaser that enjoyed such a significant and large-scale international launch.
SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi: Global Recognition and Cultural Milestones
The screening at the Grand Rex is an important step for Indian cinema in its quest for international recognition. The producers of the film have shown their desire to make Varanasi an international film festival by selecting a Parisian monument instead of the usual places in Mumbai or Hyderabad.
Premières images du très attendu film de S. S. Rajamouli, #Varanasi, qui arrivera sur grand écran en 2027. #FestivalDeLaBandeAnnonce pic.twitter.com/ZIdRHBpfyn
— Le Grand Rex (@LeGrandRex) January 5, 2026
Le Grand Rex’s official account on X social media also posted the event and shared the first look of the ₹1,300 crore epic with the excited French audience. This tactic, backed by the French distributor Aanna Films, indicates the increasing demand for Indian narratives to be told on the global market, even before the film’s summer 2027 release.
Varanasi Character Rudhra and Mythological Ambition
The teaser gives a powerful insight into the movie’s plot, where Mahesh Babu takes the lead as Rudhra, an explorer who is profoundly influenced by the old world. The images represent him as a trident holder and a companion of an enormous bull, a picture that alludes to the deity Shiva, and all this is presented in the context of a thrilling adventure saga.
The film features Priyanka Chopra as Mandakini and Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist Kumbha, and it brings the plot of 7200 BCE into a time-travel narrative. This grand vision, with music by the Oscar winner MM Keeravani, is a promise of an all-around experience that combines the discovery of Indiana Jones with the spiritual richness of Indian culture.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
