Feb 17, 2026 3:24pm IST
From S.S. Rajamouli, Atlee To Sandeep Reddy Vanga and Rajkumar Hirani — Return of the Biggies In 2027
2026 is shaping up to be a formidable year for Indian cinema, with major releases like “Dhurandhar 2,” “King,” “Ramayana,” “Dragon,” “Toxic,” “Jailer 2,” “Jana Nayagan” and “Peddi” set to rake in the moolah at the box office. While we're just in the first quarter of the year, several Indian filmmakers have already turned their attention to 2027, signaling an extraordinary wave of big-budget, high-concept films on the horizon.
One of India's most celebrated film directors, S.S. Rajamouli, will return to the big screen on April 7, 2027, with “Varanasi”—his first film since the globally acclaimed “RRR” in 2022. Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran will headline what is being billed as Rajamouli's most expensive and most ambitious project to date. Plot details are strictly being kept under wraps, but sources say Rajamouli has conceived a story and scale that no other Indian director has ever attempted. The makers are in talks with a big international distribution company for a wide overseas release.
Tamil filmmaker Atlee is also targeting a summer 2027 release for his VFX-heavy action-spectacle with Allu Arjun. After breaking box-office records with his maiden Bollywood debut, “Jawan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, Atlee is raising his bar further with a 600-crore pan-India movie set in a parallel universe. It features an ensemble cast, including Deepika Padukone, Mrunal Thakur, Rashmika Mandanna, Janhvi Kapoor, Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu and Jim Sarbh, among others.
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Sandeep Reddy Vanga will come to the cinemas with “Spirit,” starring Prabhas, Triptii Dimri, Kanchana, Prakash Raj and Vivek Oberoi in lead roles. Following the sensational blockbuster “Animal,” Vanga is now set to push his signature intensity and violence to new extremes with his next, revolving around a fiercely uncompromising police officer. The film is presently in production and is scheduled to release pan-India on March 5, 2027.
Karan Johar is also aiming to return with his next directorial in 2027. He's reportedly setting up a modern relationship drama along the lines of his cult film, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” (2001). Although the script is still being finalized, the filmmaker has already begun preliminary discussions with prospective lead actors. Production is expected to begin in the final quarter of 2026.
Ali Abbas Zafar, who last directed Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,” reunites with Yash Raj Films after a nine-year hiatus. He directs “Saiyaara” breakthrough actor Ahan Panday in an action love story. Sharvari plays the leading heroine, while Aaishvary Thackeray, who made his striking Bollywood debut last year with Anurag Kashyap's “Nishaanchi,” has been cast as the antagonist. Filming begins next month, with a mid-2027 theatrical release planned.
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“Stree 2” director Amar Kaushik teams up with Vicky Kaushal for the mythological epic, “Mahavatar.” Although the film was initially supposed to release on Christmas this year, it's now aiming for a late 2027 release. Vicky is expected to undergo a massive physical transformation to play Lord Parshuram, and he will start his prep right after the completion of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's “Love and War.” Kaushik and the team will officially begin the pre-production of this film in March with plans to start shooting in September 2026. Bhansali's film is also said to have been postponed and is now expected to release in early 2027, though the makers are yet to issue an official confirmation.
Nitesh Tiwari's second and final chapter of “Ramayana” is scheduled for a Diwali 2027 release. The Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash and Sunny Deol-starrer Rama Vs Ravana epic is being mounted on a scale never seen in Indian cinema before, and is projected to break every existing box-office record. The first part is releasing this Diwali, while the filming for the second chapter is still underway.
“KGF” director Prashant Neel is eyeing taking “Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryaanga Parvam” on floors by the end of this year for a late 2027 release. However, its production timeline depends on which project Prabhas gives his commitment to post “Spirit.” As for now, Neel is fully immersed in his Jr. NTR action spectacle, “Dragon.”
Beyond 2027
Several prominent filmmakers are already looking even further. Rajkumar Hirani hasn't locked his next film yet, but he's aiming to assemble and begin a project by the end of the year. Lokesh Kanagraj's most-awaited film with Allu Arjun is proposed to get off the ground by October-November and will release in Summer 2028. Another director already looking beyond 2027 is S. Shankar, whose most ambitious historical epic, “Velpari,” is expected to go on floors early next year.
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