India’s most expensive film to be made for Rs…, makers spend Rs 50 crore on the set, movie is…, lead actor will be…
After the roaring success of RRR, SS Rajamouli is once again setting ambitious scales with his next, tentatively titled SSMB29. With Mahesh Babu in the lead and Priyanka Chopra alongside him, the film promises a sweeping, globe-trotting adventure — and insiders say it could be India’s most expensive ever.
A Rs 1,000 Cr Vision
Whispers around industry corridors claim that SSMB29 is being crafted on a Rs 1,000 crore budget, eclipsing even Kalki 2898 AD (approx. Rs 600 crore). With VFX, stunts, and sprawling sets in play, it’s a cinematic Goliath in the making.
Varanasi Reimagined — in Hyderabad
Rajamouli is reportedly recreating Varanasi’s iconic ghats, including the revered Manikarnika Ghat, within sprawling Hyderabad studios. Meanwhile, principal photography began in February 2025 in Hyderabad and Odisha, and future schedules aim to shoot in Africa
Global Scope, International Scale
Produced by K.L. Narayana under Sri Durga Arts, the film is the result of two years of meticulous scripting by Rajamouli and his father, Vijayendra Prasad. CM P.S. Vinod steps in as cinematographer, while M.M. Keeravani returns as composer. Despite earlier reports of a two-part release, SSMB29 will now be a single 210‑minute epic
Star Cast & Intense Prep
Mahesh Babu kicked off intensive workshops this January alongside Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran — with R. Madhavan reportedly joining later.. Priyanka, marking her return to Indian cinema, is said to play a powerful, grey-shaded billionaire opposite the protagonist Babu. The trio recently began filming an aquatic-action sequence aboard a boat set, complete with water, fire, and international stunt coordination training for over 3,000 people through May and June
Secrecy & Scale
Despite leaks — including footage of Priyanka in Odisha and action scenes from Koraput — Rajamouli has responded by enacting tighter security, NNAs, and a strict no-mobile policy on set
What’s Next?
Following the wrap of Odisha, the team is preparing for Hyderabad’s second schedule, focusing on the Varanasi ghats set and grand action blocks . If all goes as planned, SSMB29 may release around 2027 — primed to claim the title of India’s costliest, most ambitious cinematic spectacle yet.
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