Filmmaker S S Rajamouli appears to have changed the release plan for his ambitious film Varanasi.
According to the latest reports, the epic action-adventure is now likely to be released in two parts instead of one.
Much like what Aditya Dhar did with his Dhurandhar franchise, Rajamouli is reportedly planning to split Varanasi into two instalments so that the full story can be told properly, without forcing it into a limited runtime.
Sources close to the project say the makers feel that a three-hour-plus runtime may still not be enough to do justice to the scale and depth of the film.
They reportedly believe that a two-part format would give the team more freedom to narrate the story in a much more detailed and expansive way, without worrying too much about theatrical runtime limitations.
Given Rajamouli’s style of storytelling and his preference for larger-than-life cinema, the decision does not come as a big surprise.
Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead roles, making it one of the most anticipated Indian films in the coming years.
As of now, the film is scheduled to hit theatres on April 5, 2027.
If the reports turn out to be true, Varanasi could become yet another grand cinematic event designed for the big screen in true Rajamouli style.