Mahesh Babu’s birthday celebrations have rarely felt this underwhelming. Fans were expecting a special treat from SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi. Instead, the team released two working stills of Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, similar to the two stills released for Priyanka Chopra’s birthday.
The stills look good and offer a glimpse of Mahesh‘s rugged look in the film. But for fans who have been waiting for years, they hardly feel like a proper birthday treat. This raises a bigger question. Is this the first step towards the so-called Global Cinema approach, where the hero’s birthday itself no longer gets the kind of importance it once did?
A few months ago, Allu Arjun fans were expecting at least a teaser or short glimpse from Atlee’s Raaka. Instead, the team released a first look that many felt was more of a pre-look than a proper promotional update. That too was nothing amazing.
Today, despite Mahesh Babu’s birthday being a massive occasion, Varanasi’s team has chosen to reveal only two working stills. There is nothing wrong with making a film on a global scale or taking several years to complete it. But the audience also needs to feel connected to the journey.
Fans have already waited years for these films to reach theatres. Now, they are seemingly being asked to wait years even for meaningful promotional content.
This is one reason why some fans are not entirely happy with their heroes moving towards Pan-India and Pan-World films. They want the films to become bigger, but they also want the excitement around their heroes to remain alive.
However, there is an important difference between Raaka and Varanasi.
Raaka‘s first look itself disappointed many because it failed to create the expected impact. With Varanasi, the two working stills feel more like a tease than a full promotional reveal.
And that is where trust in Rajamouli comes in.
SS Rajamouli has repeatedly shown that he understands the value of timing. He knows how to build anticipation and, more importantly, when to reveal the right material. If he has chosen to keep Varanasi’s biggest promotional assets under wraps, there is probably a reason. This low may simply be setting up a very big high.
The real treat may not have arrived on Mahesh Babu’s birthday, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t coming. When Rajamouli feels the time is right, he will almost certainly come up with content that does justice to the scale of Varanasi.
For now, fans may feel disappointed. But when it comes to Rajamouli, patience has usually been part of the deal. Trust the man who knows exactly how to create hype. The real Varanasi storm may still be waiting.
