Mumbai: Ever since the grand event of Globe Trotter was announced, audiences had been eagerly counting down to witness India's biggest-ever reveal.
The event that opened in a spectacular manner at the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, on November 15, saw the unveiling of the title of S.S. Rajamouli's much-awaited project -- 'Varanasi', starring Mahesh Babu.
At the event, the teaser was showcased on a massive 130 ft x 100 ft screen.
Along with the title reveal, another major announcement followed, and that was of the film gearing up for a Sankranti 2027 release.
The excitement soared even higher after Prithviraj Sukumaran's fierce first look as Kumbha and Priyanka Chopra Jonas's powerful portrayal of Mandakini were unveiled.
Helmed by visionary filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli and backed by superstar Mahesh Babu's unparalleled fanbase, the event in Hyderabad saw a turnout of more than 50,000 fans.
On November 13, the movie's poster featuring and introducing Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini was unveiled by S.S. Rajamouli on his social media.
Welcoming the global icon on board in Varanasi, Rajamouli wrote, "The woman who redefined Indian cinema on the global stage. Welcome back, Desi Girl! @priyankachopra Can’t wait for the world to witness your myriad shades of MANDAKINI."
Priyanka, too, had shared it on her social media and captioned it as, "She’s more than what meets the eye… Say hello to Mandakini. #GlobeTrotter."
Rajamouli had also unveiled the poster featuring South star Prithviraj on social media and wrote, "After canning the first shot with Prithvi, I walked up to him and said, 'You are one of the finest actors I've ever known. Bringing life to this sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist, KUMBHA, was creatively very satisfying. Thank you @therealprithvi for slipping into his chair… literally… #GlobeTrotter."
Speaking soon after the title was successfully announced, S S Rajamouli said, "Finally, it happened. Some are emotional moments. I don't have huge belief in God. My dad said "He (God) would be right behind me and make all things work." I was angry thinking, "Is this how you make it work?" My wife loves Lord Hanuman. She treats him as a friend. I got angry with my wife as well."
He then went on to explain about a sequence in the film, which he said would be among the most memorable sequences of all his films.
"From my childhood, I have told several times that I like the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha a lot. That making Mahabharatha was my dream project. Even when I began working on this film, I did not realise that I would be shooting an important sequence from the Ramayana for this film. But while writing every scene, I felt like I was walking on air. On the first day, when I saw Mahesh dressed as Rama and doing a photoshoot, I had goosebumps," Rajamouli said.
"We had a great time shooting for this episode. We shot for 60 days. It got completed only recently. Every day was a challenge as every sub episode in the huge episode was like a cinema in itself. It needed fresh planning. We overcame all of it and completed that sequence. It will be one of the most memorable sequences of my films," the director informed.
IANS