SS Rajamouli has landed in a fresh controversy with his latest comments on Varanasi. While explaining why Varanasi is his most ambitious film ever, the director said he was never fully satisfied with how the Ramayana and Mahabharata have been presented on screen. That one line has triggered a big debate on social media, as many big films based on the epics have been made in recent years, and more are on the way.
What Rajamouli Said
Speaking on The Empire podcast, Rajamouli said he had watched many films based on the epics over the years, in Telugu and other Indian languages. “While there have been some great moments that I truly loved, I was never fully satisfied with how these epics were presented on screen,” he said.
He added that he always felt the scale needed to be much bigger and grander, and that with Varanasi, he now has the responsibility to show what he believes the epics truly deserve.
Kalki, Adipurush and More Pulled Into the Debate
The comment has hit a nerve because Indian cinema has seen a wave of big epic-based films in the last few years.
Prabhas’s Adipurush in 2023 was a big-budget take on the Ramayana, but it faced massive trolling over its VFX, dialogues and portrayal of characters. Many felt Rajamouli’s comment was a fair point when it comes to films like this.
But the same statement has also drawn in films that audiences loved. Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD in 2024 brought the Mahabharata into a futuristic world, with its Kurukshetra portions and Amitabh Bachchan’s Ashwatthama winning big praise. The film became one of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema. Fans of Kalki have questioned how a film that connected so strongly with audiences falls short of satisfying Rajamouli.
Films like Prasanth Varma’s Hanu-Man and the animated Mahavatar Narsimha, both inspired by mythology, also worked big with audiences, showing that the appetite for such stories is strong.
The Ramayana Factor
The timing makes the comment even more sensitive. Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, is one of the most expensive Indian films ever and is set to release its first part this Diwali, with the second part following next year.
With Varanasi also featuring a major Ramayana episode with Mahesh Babu, many see Rajamouli’s comment as setting up a direct comparison between the two projects. Some fans felt the timing of the remark was unfair to a film that has not even been released yet.
Two Sides to the Debate
Not everyone sees it as an insult. Many feel Rajamouli was talking about scale and vision, not about the quality of other films. They point out that he also said he truly loved some moments from those films, and that a filmmaker wanting to push the bar higher should not be seen as disrespect.
Not the First Time
This is not the first time Rajamouli’s comments around Varanasi have sparked a debate. At the film’s grand title launch event in Hyderabad in November 2025, his remarks during a technical glitch, along with his past comments about being a non-believer, also drew criticism online.
The Pressure Is Now Bigger
Whatever side one takes, Rajamouli has set a very high bar for himself. By saying no film has fully satisfied him, he has invited comparisons with every epic film made before, especially Ramayana, which arrives before Varanasi. The Ramayana episode in Varanasi will now be watched very closely.
Varanasi stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, with music by MM Keeravani. The film releases worldwide on April 7, 2027.
