Rajamouli unveils Priyanka Chopra’s Varanasi look on birthday; fans say ‘action queen’

4 min readMumbaiJul 18, 2026 01:46 PM IST

Varanasi will be releasing next year in April.

SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi is among the most anticipated Indian films of 2027. The globe-trotting time-travel adventure, which blends mythology with science fiction, stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead. On Priyanka’s birthday, the makers unveiled two new character stills of Mandakini.

Taking to X, filmmaker SS Rajamouli shared two new stills introducing Priyanka’s character, Mandakini, and wrote, “Grace when she smiles. Fire when she doesn’t. Mandakini… Priyanka Chopra in Varanasi.”

Grace when she smiles.

Fire when she doesn’t.

Mandakini… @PriyankaChopra in #Varanasi pic.twitter.com/4lYerYbm4Q

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) July 18, 2026

The two stills offer contrasting glimpses into the character’s personality. In one, Priyanka appears carefree and full of life as she leaps through a sprawling landscape dotted with giraffes, zebras, and horses. In the other, she sports an intense expression and a deadly smirk, hinting at a far more formidable side of Mandakini.

Soon after the makers unveiled Priyanka Chopra’s new stills from Varanasi, social media was flooded with reactions. Fans praised her powerful transformation as Mandakini, with many calling the character’s two contrasting looks one of the film’s biggest highlights yet.

Reacting to the posters, one fan wondered, “Female lead antagonist side ah???” Another wrote, “Can’t believe I’ve been watching her films since I was a child, she’s still on top of her game.”

Several users praised Priyanka’s screen presence, with comments like “Uff. She looks amazing,” and “That’s Priyanka Chopra’s iconic junglee billi look.” Another fan added, “Two completely different looks, yet she owns both with the same confidence. That’s what makes Priyanka Chopra special.”

Many also expressed excitement about seeing her back in an action-oriented role. One user wrote, “Priyanka looks very amazing. Action queen is coming back to the screens,” while another commented, “Omg, can’t wait.”

‘I do so many amazing slow-motion jumps’

One of the newly released stills echoes Priyanka’s recent comments about her role. Speaking on the Hey Jonas*podcast, the actor revealed that she has been working on the film for over a year. She said, “I’ve been working on it for almost 14 months now. But this filmmaker, his name is SS Rajamouli, is known to take that kind of time to make movies.” She added, “He called me for this movie and it’s called Varanasi. It’s this epic adventure around the world and in time. It’s taken a minute, but I’m very excited about it. It comes out April 2027.”

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Without revealing much about her character, Priyanka also teased one of the film’s action elements, saying, “I do so many amazing slow-motion jumps, and that’s all I can say.”

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Mandakini’s first-look poster

Last year, the makers had unveiled Priyanka’s first look as Mandakini. In the poster, she was seen wearing a yellow saree while aiming a gun at her target. With her hair tied in a braid, kolhapuris, jhumkas, and a bindi completing the look, the poster balanced traditional aesthetics with an air of intensity. Sharing it on social media, Priyanka had written, “She’s more than what meets the eye… say hello to Mandakini. #GlobeTrotter.”

Varanasi marks Priyanka Chopra’s return to Hindi cinema after The Sky Is Pink (2019). She was also set to star in Farhan Akhtar’s Jee Le Zaraa alongside Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif, but the film has remained on hold, with no fresh updates from the makers.