Priyanka Chopra Jonas Completes Key Schedule Of SS Rajamouli’s 'Varanasi'

According to a report in The Times of India, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is said to have completed a schedule in Hyderabad for her upcoming film with Mahesh Babu, Varanasi. She posted on social media that she had completed her portions of this leg and that she would be returning to Los Angeles for the promotional work of her English film, The Bluff, releasing later this month on the 28th.  

The SS Rajamouli film Varanasi will be her first Indian film since the 2019 film The Sky Is Pink. It is expected to release on April 7, 2027, after an eight-year gap for the Don actress. She plays the role of Mandakini in the film, and the first look reveal of her character was a sensation upon release. 

Having been in development for nearly three years, S.S. Rajamouli’s Varanasi is already being hailed as his magnum opus. In addition to being one of the most expensive Indian films in history (with a whopping budget of ₹1,300 crore), the film will also be Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s comeback to Indian cinema after six years.  Having primarily focused on various Hollywood projects in recent years—such as Baywatch (2017), Love Again (2023), and Citadel (2025)—the actor mentioned in a recent interview that there was one thing she missed the most about working in Indian films: dance.

Talking about a conversation with Rajamouli before accepting the role of Mandakini, she told CinemaBlend, "I was like, ‘I have one request. Can you make me dance? Please? Because I haven’t danced for so long.’” And dance she did. In conversation with co-star Mahesh Babu, she joked, "I should not have asked, because we have been dancing. There’s a lot.” Mahesh Babu, who will play the role of Rudhra, revealed that the two have already shot for a song together, hinting that the track came about as a result of her request.