From dual timelines to time travel: How SS Rajamouli’s storytelling leapt towards Varanasi

SS Rajamouli's latest film, Varanasi, scheduled for release on April 7, is a masterful blend of storytelling techniques that he has previously explored in his other films. The movie is set to span multiple timelines, potentially spanning thousands of years, from ancient Vedic and Puranic periods to the present day. The narrative appears to connect events in antiquity to a contemporary crisis involving an asteroid heading towards the city of Varanasi.

Rajamouli has created a fictional city of Varanasi, reimagined across different historical periods that no longer exist on location. The film will utilize the same set to represent the city across multiple time periods, with modifications for each era. Mahesh Babu stars as an archaeologist and Shiva devotee named Rudhra, on a quest for a cosmic artifact, an avatar of Ram.