SS Rajamouli on Saturday unveiled the trailer of his upcoming epic ‘Varanasi’ starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj. At the grand ‘GlobeTrotter’ event, the director unveiled the first trailer of the film, and a first look at Mahesh’s character of Rudhra. While the 2-minute clip has gone viral, all it took was one epic shot of the superstar as Lord Ram, to dominate the mythological conversation in Indian cinema.
Rajamouli’s Ramayana
A brief look of the actor in an epic Ramayana setting in the film, featuring Babu in the breathtaking avatar of Lord Ram, wielding his bow and arrow, that has sent fans into a frenzy, with many hailing it as one of the most powerful depictions of Lord Ram in modern cinema.The viral scene has created enough buzz for fans and film buffs to refer to ‘Varanasi’ as Rajamouli’s very own ‘Ramayana’.
Mahesh Babu as Lord Ram
The standout moment shows Babu in an intense battle sequence, bow in hand, which many have admitted, “gave instant goosebumps.” Rajamouli’s signature scale has fans predicting that the film could redefine mythological action for the big screen.
Fans react to epic battle scene
Social media has since been flooded with reactions, with fans posting comments like, “Dancing to Rama Rama Rama in Srimanthudu to becoming RAMA in Varanasi, Mahesh Babu has come a long way!!!” and “Wanted to see my man @urstrulyMahesh as Lord Rama or Lord Krishna, Finally @ssrajamouli did this!”“I don’t even know what exactly happens in this #Varanasi sequence, but just imagining it is giving unanimous goosebumps. #MaheshBabu as Lord Rama, #SSRajamouli’s vision is about to deliver something beyond anything we’ve ever seen,” said another. “That Hanuman and Lord RAMA moment in the Varanasi trailer? Literal goosebumps! The power and aura were unbelievable. So proud to see our culture shine! Rajamouli sir is redefining Indian cinema,” commented another.
Rajamouli on Mahesh in Rama’s attire
Speaking about the film, Rajamouli said, “When I started this film, I didn’t think I would capture an important part of Ramayana. On the first day of photoshoot, I had goosebumps seeing Mahesh in the attire of Rama.”Another spotted a scene where it appears that Lord Ram is in a chariot riding on Hanuman’s tail. A fan noted, “On Hanuman’s tail, if you closely see there is a chariot riding on top of it. Full glory Lord Ram progressing into the war?”
Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’
With ‘Varanasi’ still awaiting an official release date, audiences have already begun drawing comparisons to Nitesh Tiwari’s mythological spectacle ‘Ramayana’ starring Ranbir Kapoor and actor Yash. Netizens are calling it the “Battle of the Rams” as both megastars gear up to redefine cinematic portrayals of Lord Ram in their own distinct visions. While Ranbir’s ‘Ramayana’ is said to take a more classical, ‘Varanasi’ is reportedly leaning into mythological action, and spanning different time frames and geographical borders.
