SSMB29’s ₹50 Cr Varanasi Set Becomes India’s Most Expensive

Some filmmakers build sets. S.S. Rajamouli builds mythology. And with his next epic — the mysteriously still-untitled SSMB29 — the director’s gone full god-mode again. This time, he’s dropped ₹50 crore (yeah, you read that right) on a single set: a fully decked-out, hyper-detailed Varanasi replica inside Ramoji Film City.

Forget just breaking records. This annihilated the previous one.

That Old Record? It Belonged to Bhansali, Obviously

You probably remember Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002) and its famously ornate Chandramukhi kotha — drenched in crystal chandeliers, velvet curtains, and a soft-lit haze that screamed “no budget was harmed in the making of this film.” That set alone reportedly cost ₹20 crore, and for two whole decades, it reigned as the most expensive built-for-film environment in India.

Well, it just got Bhahubalied out of the top spot.

Here’s the updated leaderboard:

Rank	Film	Set Location/Scene	Estimated Cost
1	SSMB29	Varanasi replica (Ramoji)	₹50 crore
2	Devdas	Chandramukhi’s kotha	₹20 crore

That’s not just a record break — that’s a 150% leap in production spend. Inflation, who?

Why So Expensive? Because Rajamouli Doesn’t Do Mid

Insiders say this Varanasi set is more than just a backdrop — it’s a world, built to anchor a large chunk of Mahesh Babu’s upcoming journey. Knowing Rajamouli’s style, that means sweeping shots, kinetic camera moves, and plenty of opportunities for the set to flex hard on the big screen. This is the guy who made Baahubali’s waterfalls iconic and gave RRR the kind of colonial grandeur that even HBO would envy.

It’s not just about the aesthetic — it’s narrative scale, visual storytelling, and maximalism all working together. No green screens faking the vibe. Rajamouli likes his worlds real, then layered with just the right amount of CGI spice.

The Bhansali vs. Rajamouli Aesthetic Battle (We All Secretly Love)

If Bhansali is the poet of Indian cinema’s aesthetics, Rajamouli is its mythmaker. Bhansali gave us intimate grandiosity — candle-lit faces in rooms that felt like museum pieces. Rajamouli goes big: temples, mountains, kingdoms — all moving like gears in a mythic machine.

So when Rajamouli spends ₹50 crore on a set, it’s not just a design decision. It’s a statement. And yeah, it’s going to make other directors sweat a little.

Everything Else Is Now Playing Catch-Up

Let’s be honest: there have been plenty of expensive sets in the last decade. Think Bajirao Mastani, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Kalank, or more recently, the stunning spaces in Heeramandi. Those all hovered in the ₹15–20 crore zone — impressive, sure, but nowhere near this.

And while we love the art direction in those films, SSMB29’s Varanasi is clearly operating on a different frequency. This is industrial-strength world-building.

So… What’s SSMB29 Even About?

We still don’t know. And that’s classic Rajamouli. The film’s plot remains under lock and key, with Mahesh Babu reportedly undergoing intense physical prep for a role that’s being teased as “globetrotting” and “wildly ambitious.” Think Indiana Jones meets Indian epics, if the fan whispers are to be believed.

If the ₹50 crore Varanasi set is any clue, this movie won’t just hop across continents — it might rewrite how Indian cinema treats geography on-screen.

Final Word: Rajamouli’s Playing on His Own Field

There’s Bollywood scale, then there’s pan-India scale… and then there’s Rajamouli scale, which at this point deserves its own IMDb category. With this kind of spending on just one location, SSMB29 already feels like an event. And if history has taught us anything, Rajamouli’s events tend to leave the industry playing catch-up for years.

Consider the ₹50 crore set the opening act. The real show hasn’t even started yet.

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