Makers of SS Rajamouli's Varanasi ask Hyderabad city for 15 lakh litre water for shoot amid water crisis, denied: Report

SS Rajamouli's Varanasi is reportedly filming underwater sequences in Hyderabad. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj.

The shoot for SS Rajamouli’s upcoming sci-fi epic, Varanasi, is underway in Hyderabad. The pan-India film is reportedly filming several underwater sequences at the Hyderabad Film City Studio in Gaganpahad. A new report claims that the film’s makers requested the city’s water body for 150 water tankers for the shoot, but were denied amid the ongoing high water demand during a harsh summer in the Telangana capital.

In Varanasi, Mahesh Babu portrays Rudhra, a time-travelling adventurer.

Hyderabad city officials deny Varanasi makers’ request

A report in Telangana Today states that representatives of Sri Durga Arts, one of the producers of Varanasi, approached the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) requesting 150 water tankers of 10,000 litres each. The letter stated that water was required to fill a pond for underwater sequences. The letter, addressed to HMWSSB Managing Director K Ashok Reddy, said that the water needed to be purified to meet the shoot's quality standards. The production house assured it would pay tanker charges from the supply point to the shooting location at Gaganpahad. However, the HMWSSB officials have denied the request.

Telangana Today said Ashok Reddy told them the body has not supplied the water tankers for Varanasi’s shoot. The report stated that the denial was communicated orally to the film’s team. According to reports, the HMWSSB is struggling to meet increased water demand in the city amid a heatwave.

HT has learnt that underwater sequences for the film are underway in Hyderabad, and will continue to be shot through May. The film’s team is now scrambling to arrange water from other sources.

All about Varanasi

Varanasi is SS Rajamouli’s first film since his global breakthrough, RRR. The film stars Mahesh Babu as a time-travelling adventurer on the hunt for an ancient artefact from the Ramayana era. The film marks Priyanka Chopra’s return to Indian cinema after almost a decade. The antagonist of the film is played by Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Last year, Rajamouli unveiled the film’s grand first look at an event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, showcasing how the film’s narrative spans continents and eras. The film takes place across India, Antarctica, Sri Lanka, and Africa, and also has scenes set in the Treta Yuga, 5000 years ago. In an interview in the US, Mahesh Babu revealed that apart from playing the protagonist Rudhra, he also plays Lord Rama in flashback scenes. The film will release in theatres in April 2027.