3 minutes of readingNew DelhiFebruary 12, 2026 12:51 pm IST
Priyanka Chopra has been away from Indian cinema since 2019. And now, the actor is all set to make a spectacular comeback with SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, and the film’s $150 million budget makes it the most expensive Indian film ever made. In a recent interview, he talked about the upcoming action epic alongside Mahesh Babuwhich will also mark Priyanka’s Telugu debut. It is the first Indian film shot in IMAX format 1.43:1, signaling a technical change.
During a conversation with Variety, Priyanka spoke about giving an ‘ultimatum’ to filmmaker Rajamouli while signing her film Varanasi. “This is like nothing I’ve ever done. We traveled from Antarctica to… And the worlds he creates are larger than life, and no one has the vision that he has. So even I’m excited to see more,” she shared.
The actor further added, “I was like, ‘Listen, I’m going to go back to Indian movies. I have to do a dance song. Like you have to make me dance.’ I know I’m going to do it, but we haven’t filmed it yet. Well, that’s one of the last things I really want to do. But we already did one where the choreography was crazy. “It’s so complex.”
Varanasi has reportedly already bagged a record-breaking OTT deal with Netflix of around Rs 650-700 crore for streaming rights. Additionally, Mahesh Babu reportedly signed a three-year exclusive deal with Rajamouli, earning Rs 50 million annually, taking his total salary to Rs 150 million, the highest fee of his career.
According to reports, SS Rajamouli He also does not receive a fixed salary for the film, a model he has also followed with his previous films Baahubali and RRR. Instead of opting for a base salary, you have a backend agreement that involves a significant profit-sharing model, around 50% of profits after expenses are recovered.
In an earlier episode of Kapil Sharma’s Netflix show, the host had mentioned the subject of the film. budget in a lighter tone. Kapil asked if the film’s budget was really Rs 1.3 crore, to which she replied, “Haan (Yes).” He responded with a witty line: “So, will this Rs 1.3 crore be spent only on making the film, or will it also provide employment to the people of Varanasi?” She also asked if the film’s budget wasn’t that high initially and had only increased after she joined the project. “Matlab aap ulta naak pakadne ki koshish kar rahe hain? (Are you trying to blame me?),” Priyanka replied. Meanwhile, reports claim that while Varanasi is India’s most expensive film, it actually costs half of season 1 of Priyanka’s Hollywood series Citadel, which cost nearly $300 million.
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The upcoming pan-Indian action-adventure drama has been written by Rajamouli, V. Vijayendra Prasad and SS Kanchi. Produced by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business, Varanasi also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as the main antagonist. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on April 7, 2027.