Oct 12, 2026 2:28pm IST
‘Varanasi’ Maker SS Rajamouli Clears The Air About Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra’s Film Being Shot in Antarctica
SS Rajamouli’s “Varanasi” has been filmed in some stunning locations across the globe. One of the reports that piqued the curiosity of cine-goers was that of the Antarctica shoot. Only a few films in the history of filmmaking have been shot in the frozen continent like “South Of Sanity” (2012), “The Odyssey” (2016) and “Virus” (1980). In a conversation with The Empire Film Podcast, SS Rajamouli revealed that the team did toy with the idea of shooting a small bit of the movie in Antarctica.
Rajamouli said that the team did consider filming on the continent but later found an alternative way to film the sequence. Rajamouli said that the team cancelled the plan and looked for an easier option to film that portion.
Related Stories
It seems they have developed an alternative way to capture the Antarctica part of the story. “Varanasi,” which moves across countries and continents, is about a man who has to save the world as an ancient evil force resurfaces. It has a connection with Indian mythology.
The film moves through Antarctica, Africa and Rome before it culminates in Varanasi. The glimpse of "Varanasi" had shots of the African wilderness. Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra spent a considerable time filming in Kenya. The team completed a schedule in Georgia recently.
Popular on Variety
This highlights that while the story is expansive, all the places mentioned are not necessarily real locations for “Varanasi.”
The movie also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha, the villain. Rajamouli’s last movie “RRR” was a global success with full houses in countries like Germany and Japan. The filmmaker did not disclose where the alternative filming of Antarctica was done.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.