Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran on Making S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Varanasi’: ‘Intimidating and Exhilarating at the Same Time’

The cast of “Rrr” director S.S. Rajamouli’s “Varanasi” has opened up about the ambitious production’s demanding shoots, from filming with wild animals in Kenya’s Maasai Mara to the physical transformations required for their roles.

The film’s story spans thousands of years and traverses multiple continents, with locations ranging from Antarctica to Africa to the titular Indian city. Mahesh Babu plays the dual roles of the protagonist Rudhra and Hindu God Rama, Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays a character named Mandakini and the main antagonist Kumbha is played by Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Babu, who spent a year preparing for the role, underwent three months of Kalari martial arts training solely to adjust his posture for the character’s period-appropriate bearing. “I’m playing Lord Rama’s character, it required posture… you can’t stand like modern characters,” he explains.

He also trained with a track and field team for…