SS Rajamouli’s much-anticipated magnum opus ‘Varanasi’, slated for release on April 7, 2027, has quietly become one of the most talked-about upcoming films in Indian cinema. With a reported budget ranging between ₹1000–1300 crore, the film marks Rajamouli’s next ambitious venture after the global success of RRR. Starring Mahesh Babu in the lead, the film also brings Priyanka Chopra back to Indian cinema after nearly six years.

Priyanka, who was last seen in The Sky Is Pink, recently opened up about her experience of joining Varanasi and revealed a special request she made to Rajamouli—one that ended up playfully landing Mahesh Babu in trouble.

Priyanka’s request: “Will you make me dance?”

In an interview that has now gone viral, Priyanka Chopra recalled her first conversation with Rajamouli about the film. She said that when the director told her about her strong and exciting character, she immediately asked him one thing:
“Will you make me dance in the film?”

The actress explained that she hadn’t danced on screen for a long time due to her Hollywood commitments and wanted to experience it again in her comeback Indian project.

Reacting to this, Mahesh Babu jokingly remarked that Rajamouli not only made Priyanka dance—but made him dance a lot as well. Laughing, Priyanka admitted, “I shouldn’t have asked for it. We both dance, and there’s a lot of it.” Mahesh Babu humorously added that it was only because of Priyanka’s request that he had to perform elaborate dance sequences.

A song already shot

Mahesh Babu also revealed that a song featuring both stars has already been shot and that it became a major part of the film specifically because Priyanka wanted to dance. He added that she is often seen singing the song on set, keeping the energy high during filming.

Big-budget comeback

While reports suggest Priyanka Chopra has charged around ₹30 crore for the film, other cast members are said to be working on profit-sharing arrangements. The scale, star power, and behind-the-scenes stories are only adding to the anticipation around Varanasi.