Prithviraj Sukumaran turned 44 on October 16, and the team behind Varanasi used the day to shine a light on the film’s antagonist. Director SS Rajamouli and co-star Mahesh Babu both addressed the actor as Kumbha, the character he plays in the April 7, 2027 action-adventure.
Birthday wishes double as a character tease
Rajamouli shared a picture from the set and wrote that he did not want to awaken the Kumbha in Prithviraj on his birthday. His full line added: “The Kumbha who is destined to make his mark on the world.” Mahesh Babu kept his note warm, wishing “Kumbha” a happy birthday with love and happiness. Prithviraj replied with a nod to the film’s scale, saying he cannot wait for the world to witness the director’s madness.
The exchange matters because it is one of the clearest character signals from the film so far. A birthday message is not a trailer, but when a director teases an antagonist as “destined”, fans read it as a sign of how central the role will be. For a project months away, the makers let a birthday become a moment of world-building rather than a routine greeting.
What Varanasi is about
The film is built around a global crisis: an asteroid named Shambhavi threatens the city of Varanasi. Mahesh Babu plays Rudhra, a rugged archaeologist and explorer recruited for a globe-trotting mission to recover an ancient cosmic artefact. Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays Mandakini, a fearless historian and skilled marksman who joins the mission.
- Release date: April 7, 2027.
- Director: SS Rajamouli.
- Lead: Mahesh Babu as Rudhra.
- Antagonist: Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kumbha.
- Female lead: Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Mandakini.
Their journey moves through the jungles of Africa, the icy landscapes of Antarctica, and locations across Europe, pursued by Kumbha, a technologically advanced antagonist. The key to preventing the catastrophe lies hidden in the mythical past of Varanasi. Filming was initially expected to wrap by October 2026.
Prithviraj’s slate beyond Varanasi
Before this, Prithviraj was seen in Daayra, the Meghna Gulzar thriller co-starring Kareena Kapoor Khan. Inspired by a true event, it earned positive reviews from critics but a comparatively muted audience response. Next on his list is the folk horror Odiyan: The Age of Illusion, directed by Rahul Sadasivan, with Manju Warrier in a co-lead role and Karan Johar producing under Dharma Productions.
For celebrity watchers, the birthday posts are a small but useful signal: Prithviraj’s Kumbha is being positioned as more than a routine villain, and the team is already building the film’s mythology months ahead of release.
Source: PINKVILLA
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