Actor Priyanka Chopra is officially stepping back into Indian cinema with SS Rajamouli’s highly anticipated film Varanasi. The global star recently attended the grand title and teaser launch in Hyderabad, where she captivated audiences with her elegance and warm presence. Now, Priyanka has offered fans an intimate look at the event through a behind-the-scenes video shared on Instagram, titled “Varanasi launch from my eyes.”
The video opens with Priyanka practicing her Telugu lines, a task she admitted to finding more challenging on stage than in film. Seen in a face mask while preparing her speech, jotting notes, and rehearsing with her team, Priyanka gave viewers a candid glimpse into her pre-event jitters. “It’s more difficult to speak Telugu in front of a live audience than in a movie,” she confessed. She was also shown discussing her entry cues with SS Rajamouli and sharing a light-hearted laugh with co-star Mahesh Babu moments before stepping onto the stage—an attempt to ease her nerves before facing the massive crowd.
Once on stage, Priyanka expressed her joy at returning to Indian cinema: “I am so happy to be back, making this movie in my beloved India.” After her speech, she warmly greeted Namrata Shirodkar and Sitara before watching the teaser from her seat. For the event, she dazzled in a striking white lehenga-choli ensemble, drawing comparisons to Princess Jasmine for her dreamy, regal look.
During the launch, Priyanka praised co-star Prithviraj Sukumaran, noting that although he appears terrifying as the antagonist Kumbha, he is “the complete opposite in real life.” She also thanked Mahesh Babu and his family for making Hyderabad feel like home and lauded Rajamouli as “the visionary who took Indian cinema to the world.”
The film stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, Priyanka as Mandakini, and Prithviraj as the formidable villain. The fiery teaser shows Mahesh charging through the streets of Varanasi atop a bull, wielding a trishul—a sequence that has sparked fan theories about the film’s possible time-travel premise. Rajamouli confirmed that Mahesh will appear as Lord Rama in a segment that alone took 60 days to shoot.
Ahead of the event, Rajamouli had already unveiled Priyanka’s first-look poster as Mandakini—dressed in a yellow saree, gun in hand—which impressed fans worldwide. Welcoming her back, he wrote, “The woman who redefined Indian cinema on the global stage. Welcome back, Desi Girl!”
