‘Lord Vishnu vibes’ or ‘Thumbs Up ad’? Fans react to Mahesh Babu's first look from 'Varanasi'

Mahesh Babu's birthday came with a glimpse of the character fans have been waiting to see. The makers of ‘Varanasi’ unveiled his first look as Rudhra on Sunday, giving a closer look at the actor's character in SS Rajamouli's upcoming film.
The first-look images show Mahesh Babu in the middle of nature. In one picture, the actor can be seen sitting on a bamboo raft, looking relaxed. Another frame shows him standing in the wilderness, taking in the vast landscape around him.

Sharing the images, Mahesh Babu wrote, "Fierce isn’t his only shade… RUDHRA in #Varanasi."

The look hints at a character who may have more going on beneath the tough exterior, something that SS Rajamouli also touched upon in his birthday message.

Rajamouli shared a note describing Rudhra as a man whose life is tied to a much bigger purpose.

"Rudhra was born to fulfil a purpose much larger than himself. He carries a destiny he did not ask for. He is witty, he is vulnerable, and he is fierce. That is what Mahesh brought to him. Anyone can play fierce. Very few can play fierce and fragile in the same breath."

The filmmaker also opened up about shooting the film in Africa, where some of the newly released frames were filmed.

According to Rajamouli, the team shot portions of Varanasi around Mount Kilimanjaro and the Maasai Mara. He said the locations added something that could not have been recreated on a set.

"These frames are from our Africa schedule, and the land gave us something no set could. Shooting around Kilimanjaro and in the Masai Mara, I was stunned. There were mornings I felt even the 1.43:1 IMAX frame could not hold what was in front of us."

Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj wish Mahesh

Mahesh Babu's co-stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran also joined the birthday wishes. Sharing their message, they wrote:

"Another trip around the Sun… before we travel across time. Happy Birthday Rudhra."

The two actors are part of the main cast alongside Mahesh Babu, with the film marking a major collaboration between Rajamouli and the Telugu superstar.

Fans have mixed reactions to Rudhra's look

The first look received plenty of love from Mahesh Babu's fans, but some viewers felt the pictures did not quite match the rugged setting or the scale they expected from Varanasi.

One fan compared the actor's appearance to Lord Vishnu, writing, "He is giving me lord Vishnu vibes ... What a calm face & overall aura." Several others simply used the occasion to wish Mahesh Babu on his 51st birthday.

However, a section of social media users wanted something more striking from the first look.

"Not satisfied…expecting more," one person commented.

"Felt like Thumbs up ad photos waiting for something special update."

Some viewers even joked that the pictures reminded them of Mahesh Babu's recent Mountain Dew advertisements, with a few using the brand's Telugu tagline in their reactions.

Others questioned the clean-cut appearance of Rudhra, given that the character is shown in an adventurous setting.

"Looks unnatural, why they need to show main character look clean, perfectly shaved when he's on a adventurous mission in the jungle," a viewer wrote.

‘Varanasi’ has reportedly completed around 80 percent of its shoot, including several of its major action sequences. The remaining portions are currently being filmed in Hyderabad.

The film has been written by V Vijayendra Prasad, along with S S Kanchi, and is produced by K L Narayana and S S Karthikeya under Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business.

‘Varanasi’ is expected to follow Rudhra, played by Mahesh Babu, as he finds himself caught up in a story involving the city of Varanasi and the threat of an approaching asteroid. The project is being mounted as a large-scale action adventure with elements of time travel and mythology.