Priyanka Chopra is returning to Indian cinema in grand style.
The actress is set to play Mandakini in SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, starring alongside Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran; and reports say she is taking home a massive Rs 30 crore for the role.
This makes her the highest-paid actress in Bollywood, surpassing Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt, according to a Firstpost report.
The film, earlier known as SSMB29, was officially titled Varanasi during the Globetrotter event held in Hyderabad on November 15, 2025.
The star-studded cast and director unveiled the first glimpses exclusively to attendees, later sharing the reveal with audiences worldwide. Rajamouli captioned it, “Varanasi to the World.”
The film’s release date is yet to be finalized, but Varanasi is expected to hit theatres in 2027.
