Team Varanasi faced unexpected hurdles at the star-studded GlobeTrotter event held at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad on Saturday evening. Despite an impressive setup featuring a massive screen, director SS Rajamouli was unable to play a glimpse of his upcoming film due to repeated technical glitches, that left him visibly emotional on stage.
Rajamouli apologises to fans who travelled from across the world
Addressing the audience, many of whom had flown in from various countries to witness the first glimpse of Varanasi, Rajamouli apologised for the inconvenience. He recalled that his father, writer Vijayendra Prasad, had earlier said during his speech that Lord Hanuman’s blessings were with the team.
Responding with emotion, Rajamouli said in Telugu, “Naku devudu mida pedda nammakam ledu andi. Nannagaru vachi indaka Hanuma…venakala untadu, nadipistadu ani chepparu. Idi aina ventane kopam vachindi. Idena nadipinchedi ani?” (I don’t believe in God. My father mentioned that Hanuman will guide me. I got angry as soon as this (glitches) happened. Is this how He’s helping me?) The director became so overwhelmed while saying this that he paused briefly to regain composure.He also spoke about his wife Rama’s deep devotion to Lord Hanuman. “My wife has a great devotion to Lord Hanuman. She talks to Him like He’s her friend. I even got angry with her for a while. Let’s see,” he said.
“Let’s see if my wife’s Hanuman helps us this time”
Later in the evening, Rajamouli tried once again to play the glimpse. Before attempting it, he remarked, “Of course, we want to see the trailer once again. I am also waiting for it. Nannagaru, oka sari mee Hanuma kapadedu anukunte, ee sari maa adiva Hanuma kapadedo ledo chuddam. (Father, if your Hanuman saved me once, let’s see if my wife’s Hanuman does it again).”A clip of these comments has since gone viral, sparking strong reactions across social media platforms.
Netizens slam Rajamouli, demand public apology
Rajamouli’s comments on Lord Hanuman have angered several users online, who accused him of disrespecting religious sentiments.One user wrote, “Too disappointed with SS Rajamouli sir’s remarks regarding Lord Hanuman. He may be an atheist, but making such comments about God is completely unacceptable.”Another commented, “He didn’t give credit to God when he got success. But when he fails a bit, he is ready to blame God.”A third user said, “@ssrajamouli … it’s good if you apologise for this,” while another criticised, “Why should you blame Hanuman when your team couldn’t work? Blame your team and technicians instead.”Another widely shared reaction stated, “I hope he apologises. No need to be this hyper and loose-tongued over a small technical glitch. This attitude is not good. And there was no need to drag or blame Hanuman ji for a technical issue.”
Glimpse of ‘Varanasi’ finally screened
Despite the early setbacks, the team eventually managed to play the film’s glimpse without further glitches. The teaser hinted at a time-travel storyline, ending with the hashtag #TimeTrotter. It also teased mythological connections with brief visuals of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram.Starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles, Varanasi is slated for a grand release during Sankranthi 2027.
