SS Rajamouli recalls ‘challenge’ of filming 25-minute Ramayana sequence in ‘Varanasi’; scene took 60 days to shoot

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has opened up about one of the most demanding and creatively fulfilling sequences in his upcoming film ‘Varanasi’. The director, who has made no secret about his excitement for his next big venture, also got rather candid about a 25-minute episode in the film that is inspired by the mythological epic, Ramayana which he says 'took 60 days to film'.SS Rajamouli on inspiration behind 'Varanasi'Speaking about the scale and complexity of the epic battle sequence, Rajamouli in an interview with The Wrap, “Most of my films are inspirations from the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Indian epics. In this film, I had a chance to literally shoot one episode from Ramayana."He explained that the extended 25-minute sequence is not a single event, but rather, a combination of several moments all rolled into one epic battle scene.

“That episode of the film is a combination of multiple sub-sub-episodes. So this entire thing put together is about 25 minutes in the film, one time in the film," he said and added, "Shooting that set of episodes, each one was like making a film on its own. The emotions that we had to go through that, the audience, the characters had to go through that sequence are different from each episode.

"SS Rajamouli on 'challenges' on shooting epic sceneHe further elaborated that shooting these battle scenes of epic promportions came with their set of challenges.

He said, "Some episodes, the creative challenges were different. The technical challenges were different. So for everything, it was like approaching a completely new film, each sub episode. That was really, really challenging.”Rajamouli acknowledged the support of his entire team in putting this vision together. He shared, "We had to put all our brains together, all our efforts together, to shoot that sequence.

We shot it for 60 days, and one of the most satisfying sequences for them."Long before his newly released interviews could go viral, Rajamouli made no secret about the challenges in pulling off this scene. He shared, “We had a great time shooting for this episode. We shot for 60 days. It got completed only recently. Every day was a challenge as every sub episode in the huge episode was like a cinema in itself. It needed fresh planning.

We overcame all of it and completed that sequence. It will be one of the most memorable sequences of my films.

"Reflecting on the emotional weight of the shoot, and the personal resonance the Ramayana holds for him and his family, he shared, "I have told several times that I like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata a lot. That making Mahabharatha was my dream project. Even when I began working on this film, I did not realise that I would be shooting an important sequence from the Ramayana for this film.”Describing a defining moment from the shoot when he saw Mahesh Babu step up as Lord Ram, he shared, , he said, “I felt like I was walking on air. On the first day, when I saw Mahesh dressed as Rama and doing a photoshoot, I had goosebumps."'Varanasi' that also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj, is slated to release on 7 April, 2027.