Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film I, Nobody, scheduled to arrive in cinemas on July 9, 2026. Ahead of the film’s release, the actor opened up about his experience working on Varanasi, revealing that he and Mahesh Babu had to perform more than 90 takes for a single shot under the direction of S. S. Rajamouli.
Prithviraj opens up about demanding Varanasi shoot
During an interaction with The Hollywood Reporter India, Prithviraj shared that one particular sequence in the film required an extraordinary number of retakes because Rajamouli was striving for perfection.
Recalling the incident, the actor explained that he and Mahesh Babu began filming the shot early in the morning and continued for hours. According to him, the number of takes had already crossed 90 before the team broke for lunch.
Prithviraj said that just as they had started eating, they were summoned back to the set to continue filming. The duo reportedly worked on the same scene until evening, but despite the effort, Rajamouli remained unconvinced with the result. As a result, both actors were asked to return the following day and attempt the sequence again.
About Varanasi
Varanasi is an upcoming time-travel adventure epic directed by S. S. Rajamouli. The film stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran in pivotal roles, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas also playing a major character. The highly anticipated project is scheduled for a theatrical release on April 7, 2027.
Prithviraj’s message to Malayalam cinema producers
During the same conversation, Prithviraj also discussed headlining Odiyan, the first Malayalam production backed by Dharma Productions.
The actor expressed his enthusiasm about seeing more major production houses invest in Malayalam cinema. He revealed that because of his close association with Karan Johar, he encouraged the makers to present the project directly to Dharma Productions.
Prithviraj shared that Karan Johar contacted him the very next day and confirmed the studio’s interest in backing the film.
Concluding his thoughts, the actor welcomed more producers to explore Malayalam cinema, saying he hopes they enter the industry with an open mind, embrace its strengths, and learn from its unique filmmaking culture.
