English 
Varanasi: SS Rajamouli built the ghats ‘brick by brick’ to craft epic cinematic moments for Mahesh Babu’s magnum opus!
Ever since SS Rajamouli announced Varanasi, the film has remained one of Indian cinema’s most talked-about projects. The unveiling of Mahesh Babu as the mysterious Rudhra only amplified curiosity, while leaked visuals from the massive sets — especially the recreated Varanasi ghats — sent fans into a frenzy.
A couple of weeks back, producer SS Karthikeya opened up about the painstaking effort that went into bringing Rajamouli’s ambitious vision alive on screen.
‘Brick By Brick’: Building Varanasi From Scratch
The film recently grabbed international attention during the Comic Con Experience Mexico 2026, where Karthikeya revealed the scale of the production design behind the film.
As quoted by Telangana Today, Rajamouli’s son said, “The story begins, revolves, and ends in Varanasi. It’s also called the spiritual capital of India and is one of the oldest cities that was built and still inhabited. Obviously, our director SS Rajamouli had a vision of some breath-taking sequences in the Ghats of Varanasi, which practically we couldn’t have possibly executed there. As the producer our responsibility is to make that happen. We sent out our production design team to Varanasi to get all the possible dyes, measurements, picture references and all of that. To make his vision come true we built the Varanasi Ghats brick by brick to ensure his vision comes true.”
The recreated sets reportedly mirror the real ghats with astonishing detail, allowing Rajamouli to stage large-scale sequences that would have been impossible to execute at the actual location.
Prithviraj Sukumaran On Playing The Layered Kumbha
In an earlier conversation with Collider, Prithviraj Sukumaran reflected on the challenges of portraying Kumbha, a character confined to a wheelchair.
“As an actor, especially after doing so much work in the industry, you function almost subconsciously, always aware that your body is available as a communication tool. Then you are put in a situation where nothing from the neck down is visible, and you realise that whatever you do physically will not be seen. Everything you have at your disposal is concentrated on your face. What you need to convey must come through your face and eyes,” he said.
The actor also explained why the role fascinated him deeply.
“None of Kumbha’s emotions is one-dimensional. Everything he does and says carries a great deal of weight from his past, with layers of subtext beneath every line. That complexity is what makes the character so compelling for me, and that is what truly excited me as an actor,” he added.
Latest Update On The Film’s Progress
The production of Varanasi is currently progressing at a rapid pace. Recent reports suggest Mahesh Babu has been filming a crucial song sequence on a massive Hyderabad set, while Rajamouli has also wrapped an elaborate underwater schedule for the film.
The team is reportedly targeting a shoot completion by August 2026 as post-production and VFX work gather momentum.
Related Story: SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi: Mahesh Babu shoots key song sequence, underwater action schedule completed
A Star-Studded Ensemble
Apart from Mahesh Babu’s Rudhra and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kumbha, the film also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini. Their first-look reveals have already generated enormous excitement online, with fans eagerly awaiting Rajamouli’s next cinematic spectacle.
