MM Keeravani Confirms Six Songs for Mahesh Babu-Priyanka Chopra’s Varanasi; Background Score Work Next

THE CELEBRITY HOUR

SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi will feature six songs, with Oscar-winning composer MM Keeravani once again handling the music for the filmmaker’s ambitious action-adventure starring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.

The six-song detail is attracting renewed attention in August 2026, but it is worth clarifying that Keeravani first disclosed the number publicly in November 2025 while attending the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

Speaking to PTI at the time, the composer kept details of the individual songs under wraps but offered one promise about the film’s musical scale: “They can expect grandeur.” He then confirmed, “There will be six songs in the film.”

The more timely development is that Varanasi is moving closer to its post-production phase. Current reporting says Keeravani is expected to begin work on the film’s background score in September 2026.

For a Rajamouli film built around mythology, time travel, and a globe-spanning adventure, that distinction matters: the six songs are only one part of Keeravani’s musical responsibility. The background score will have to carry much of the film’s scale, action, and emotional storytelling.

Keeravani says there is no pressure after RRR

Expectations surrounding another Rajamouli-Keeravani collaboration are inevitably high after RRR, but Keeravani has said he does not approach Varanasi with that pressure.

At IFFI, the composer explained that clarity and conviction remove the sense of pressure from his work. “Pressure comes when there is confusion,” he told PTI, adding that he had no such confusion about the project.

That is particularly notable given what the pair achieved with their previous film.

Keeravani composed Naatu Naatu for RRR, with lyrics by Chandrabose. The track won Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, becoming the first song from an Indian production to win the category.

But Varanasi is not simply an attempt to recreate the musical template of RRR. Everything officially revealed so far suggests Rajamouli is building a different kind of cinematic world.

We have already heard music from Varanasi

Although all six songs have not been unveiled, the film’s musical campaign has already begun.

T-Series, the official music label associated with Varanasi, released the “GlobeTrotter” song in November 2025. The track is composed by Keeravani, with vocals by Shruti Haasan and Kaala Bhairava and lyrics by Chaitanya Prasad.

T-Series subsequently released the full audio track “Rana Kumbha”, again composed by Keeravani. Aditya Iyengar provided the vocals, with Chaitanya Prasad credited as lyricist.

These official releases mean the six-song soundtrack is no longer purely an abstract promise. Part of its musical identity is already in the public domain, even as the remaining tracks stay under wraps.

Varanasi brings Rajamouli and Keeravani together again

The collaboration between Rajamouli and Keeravani stretches back considerably further than RRR.

Their filmography together includes Student No. 1, Magadheera, Eega, Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and RRR, among other projects.

That history makes music a particularly important component of Varanasi. Across Rajamouli’s films, Keeravani has worked not only on standalone songs but also on the recurring themes and background compositions that support the director’s large-scale action and emotional sequences.

Official promotional material confirms Keeravani as Varanasi’s composer, while T-Series is handling the film’s music.

What is officially confirmed about Varanasi?

The film's title and principal characters were formally unveiled during the GlobeTrotter event at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad in November 2025.

Official T-Series material identifies Mahesh Babu as Rudhra, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran also starring. Subsequent promotional information identifies Priyanka’s character as Mandakini and Prithviraj’s as Kumbha.

The production is being mounted by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business, with K.L. Narayana and S.S. Karthikeya credited as producers. Official behind-the-scenes material also credits P.S. Vinod as cinematographer, Srinivas Mohan as VFX supervisor, and King Solomon for stunts.

Rajamouli subsequently confirmed that the film will arrive in cinemas on April 7, 2027.

Production was still underway this summer. During an appearance in France in June, Rajamouli said approximately 80 shooting days remained, while adding that some major action portions had already been completed.

Rajamouli has confirmed the film’s Ramayana connection

Perhaps the most useful context for understanding the soundtrack is the story itself.

Rajamouli has confirmed that Varanasi incorporates an episode from the Ramayana rather than merely borrowing broad imagery from Indian mythology.

Discussing the film earlier this year, the director said he had an opportunity to take an actual episode from the epic and present it within his story. At the same time, he stressed that audiences would not need detailed knowledge of the Ramayana to follow the film because the emotional relationships would remain accessible.

Mahesh Babu has also confirmed that time travel forms part of the narrative.

That combination of mythology, different time periods, and large-scale adventure gives Keeravani an unusually broad musical canvas.

Six songs, but their role remains largely under wraps

What Keeravani has not publicly explained is just as important as what he has confirmed.

There is currently no authoritative breakdown establishing which characters perform each song, whether all six will appear in full in the theatrical cut, or how many are conventional song sequences versus compositions integrated directly into the narrative.

Claims about specific romantic duets, elaborate dance numbers, or the picturisation of unreleased tracks should therefore be treated cautiously unless they come from the filmmakers or music label.

For now, the confirmed takeaway is simpler: Keeravani has composed a six-song soundtrack for the film and has promised musical grandeur.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The number “six” makes for an easy headline, but the more interesting story is how much responsibility music may carry in Varanasi.

Rajamouli is attempting to connect an intimate character story with a canvas involving the Ramayana, time travel, and globe-spanning spectacle. Keeravani’s task therefore extends far beyond producing six commercially viable tracks.

The official releases already show that the musical campaign is being treated as part of the film’s world-building. And once background-score work accelerates, the larger sonic identity of Varanasi should begin taking shape.

There is another useful editorial distinction here: the six-song announcement should not be presented as a brand-new August 2026 revelation. Keeravani confirmed it publicly at IFFI in November 2025. What makes the subject timely again is the film’s advancing production and reports that scoring work is about to enter its next stage.

With Varanasi scheduled for April 7, 2027, the soundtrack now becomes one of several pieces of Rajamouli’s next large-scale production moving towards completion.

Sources & Verification

The Celebrity Hour reviewed Keeravani’s November 2025 comments to PTI, current reporting on the film’s music work, and first-party promotional material released by T-Series. The film’s cast, composer, producers, and creative credits were cross-checked against official Varanasi videos, while its April 7, 2027 release date was checked against Rajamouli’s public announcement.

The six-song statement is confirmed, but it originated in November 2025 rather than August 2026. No unverified claims about unreleased song sequences have been presented as fact.