Filmmaker SS Rajamouli expressed disappointment after a leaked version of the teaser for his upcoming film Varanasi surfaced online ahead of its official release on Saturday (November 15). The incident occurred during technical testing at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad, where the team was preparing for a massive reveal scheduled for Saturday, November 15.
Rajamouli addressed the issue during the event and revealed that the teaser was illegally recorded using a drone while the crew was testing the visuals on a large LED setup.
"We ambitiously decided to set up this massive LED screen and brought in the best LED panels. To power it all, we needed more than 45 generators. During the test, someone started capturing drone footage and uploaded our content on social media as if it were from Netflix," he said. The filmmaker added that the leaked clip represented a year of hard work, involving thousands of hours of labour and financial investment. "We couldn’t even test our video properly. We are scared of more leaks now," he admitted.
Despite the setback, the official teaser of Varanasi was unveiled at the grand event. It opens with visuals of ancient Varanasi, dating back to 512 CE, featuring saints performing yagnas, dense jungles, the Uggra Bhatti cave, ancient warfare, references to 7200 BC, and dramatic illustrations of Lord Hanuman setting Lanka ablaze.
The highlight, however, is Mahesh Babu’s intense look: bearded, blood-stained, wielding a trident, and riding a bull through the ancient temples of Kashi.
The event drew massive attention, with lead actors Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra Jonas presenting the first glimpse. Also spotted were Prithviraj Sukumaran, Namrata Shirodkar, and Sitara Ghattamaneni, who cheered for Mahesh from the front rows.
Adding to the evening’s grandeur, Shruti Haasan delivered a live performance of her recently released single from the film, composed by MM Keeravaani.
