Director SS Rajamouli has sparked controversy with his remarks about Lord Hanuman during the title release event of his upcoming film Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The event was held on Saturday in Hyderabad.
The high-profile launch, hosted at Ramoji Film City, drew over 50,000 fans and industry members. However, before unveiling the title teaser, a technical glitch caused chaos and delayed the proceedings, something that reportedly upset the usually calm and composed filmmaker Rajamouli. After the delay, the teaser was finally played, and during his speech, Rajamouli spoke about his disbelief in God, a remark that quickly became the center of online debate.
A clip of his statement went viral, with many netizens accusing him of disrespecting God and Hindu culture.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Vanara Sena organisation lodged a complaint accusing the filmmaker of hurting Hindu sentiments with his remarks about Lord Hanuman. According to a police official, the complaint was filed at the Saroornagar Police Station on Tuesday. The official said, "Yesterday we received a complaint from Vanara Sena alleging that filmmaker SS Rajamouli hurt Hindu feelings by saying, 'I don't believe in God Hanuman,' at the Varanasi movie teaser launch in Ramoji Film City. So far, we have not registered a case." Police confirmed that the matter is under investigation.
The controversy
Here's what Rajamouli had said: "I don't have much faith in gods. This is an emotional moment for me. I don't believe in God. My dad came and said Lord Hanuman will take care of things for me. After the glitch happened, I raised my voice at him, saying, 'Is this how he leads me?' My wife is a big admirer of Hanuman. She treats God like her friend and talks to him. I expressed my anger at her too, saying, 'Is this how he does things?'"
Varanasi is scheduled to release in mid-summer 2027. The film hasn't even begun shooting yet, but promotions have already kicked off internationally. So far, neither Rajamouli nor his team has reacted to the controversy.
On Tuesday morning, Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared a carousel of pictures with her co-stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj, praising them and expressing her joy over the international media's excitement for the film.
Shocking ? what happened? Why is @ssrajamouli blaming lord Hanuman? ??? pic.twitter.com/utezaTYnE6
— Tathvam-asi (@ssaratht) November 15, 2025
In the photos, the trio are seen colour coordinated in black outfits. Priyanka looked stunning in a black sheer shirt paired with a black skirt.
Sharing the pictures, Priyanka wrote, "Working with these two legends of the Telugu and Malayalam industries, and coming together for an SS Rajamouli film, is such a privilege."
She also expressed her delight at promoting the film a year ahead of its release, adding, "Promoting our movie with the international media, alongside the cast and Rajamouli Sir, almost a year ahead of its release, has been incredibly exhilarating. Seeing their response and the excitement already building is truly amazing. By God's grace, we will live up to your expectations. Jai Shri Ram."
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