Varanasi is an upcoming Telugu film from director SS Rajamouli, who’s teamed up with his father, V Vijayendra Prasad, for the screenplay. The cast is stacked: Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran lead the way.
The film promises an action-packed adventure across the globe, but it’s still rooted in Indian culture. Think of those classic adventure movies, just with Rajamouli’s flair. The release is set for Sankranti 2027.
Varanasi Movie Cast Fees
Now, about those salaries everyone’s been talking about none of these numbers are official, but here’s what the media’s reporting.
The movie’s title was dropped in style at the GlobeTrotter event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Fans got their first peek at Mahesh Babu as Rudhra on the big screen. Priyanka Chopra steps in as Mandakini, and Prithviraj Sukumaran is playing Kumbha.
This marks Mahesh Babu’s 29th film as the lead. It even had a working title, Globetrotter, before settling on Varanasi. The budget? It’s hug eRs 1,200 crore (that’s about $140 million), not counting marketing. That makes it the second most expensive Indian film ever, just after Ramayana.
Unseen moments…Unmatched energy🔥
Behind the scenes with the team of the moment…Before the roar of the crowd… there’s this moment😉#Varanasi @urstrulyMahesh @ssrajamouli @priyankachopra @PrithviOfficial @mmkeeravaani @SriDurgaArts @SBbySSK @tseries @VaranasiMovie pic.twitter.com/NkgyBNsu3l
— Mahesh Babu Global FC (@SSMBGlobalFC) November 21, 2025
SS Rajamouli, known for his big-budget blockbusters, isn’t taking a fee up front for Varanasi. Instead, he’s going for a profit-sharing deal. Usually, according to IMDb, he makes around Rs 200 crore per film.
Mahesh Babu’s following the same plan as Rajamouli, no upfront payment. Both will get paid only if the film turns a profit, at least that’s what Koimoi reports.
As per reports, Priyanka Chopra has set a new record for Indian actresses with her paycheck for Varanasi. She’s reportedly getting Rs 30 crore, putting her ahead of Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt.
The faces of a story
that’s about to travel
the world ❤️#Varanasi @urstrulyMahesh @priyankachopra @PrithviOfficial pic.twitter.com/yxTJGz2IVe
— Varanasi (@VaranasiMovie) November 18, 2025
As for Prithviraj Sukumaran, he usually charges somewhere between Rs 4 and 10 crore per film. For Varanasi, there’s no official number out yet, but DNA says he’s taking home more than Rs 10 crore this time.
