Her fee might be swallowing half the budget.
Priyanka Chopra fuelled fresh buzz around SS Rajamouli’s upcoming film Varanasi during the opening episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 4.
Appearing on the comedy series, Priyanka was pressed by host Kapil Sharma about long-running rumours surrounding the film’s enormous production budget.
Kapil suggested the budget may have reached £126 million, a figure already circulating widely within industry circles.
Priyanka did not confirm the number outright, but her nod to Kapil’s line of thought drew a loud reaction from the live audience.
Rajamouli is currently developing a large-scale action project with Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu in the lead role, while Priyanka plays the female lead.
Kapil pushed the cost discussion further, joking that Priyanka’s involvement had raised the film’s scale significantly.
He teased that her fee might be swallowing half the budget, prompting Priyanka to respond with a sharp and playful comeback.
She asked, “Are you trying to imply that half of the budget has gone into my bank account?”
Navjot Singh Sidhu then joined the exchange, questioning what kind of story could require such a massive spend.
Priyanka carefully avoided any story details, reminding Kapil that Rajamouli never reveals plot points before release.
The moment marked the first time anyone connected to Varanasi publicly acknowledged the widely reported budget figure.
Industry chatter has placed Varanasi above every Tollywood project in history in terms of cost.
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 is the only Indian film said to sit higher, with reports estimating its budget around £194 million.
Rajamouli has previously pushed Indian action cinema into new financial territory with Baahubali and RRR.
Online audiences treated Priyanka’s response as an indirect confirmation of the budget rumours.
Reaction posts surged after the episode aired, with clips spreading quickly across X and Instagram.
Viewers debated whether Priyanka slipped unintentionally or whether the team is quietly testing public reaction.
Filming for Varanasi is underway across India and several international locations.
The film is being produced by KL Narayana and SS Karthikeya, with MM Keeravaani composing the score.
Mahesh Babu leads the cast, while Prithviraj Sukumaran is signed for a key role.
A first-look launch last month showed Priyanka in a sari holding a gun, immediately sparking conversation online.
Rajamouli is reportedly aiming for a global cinema rollout in 2027.
The project is being described as a world-build rather than a purely domestic adventure.
Crew members have spoken about extensive location planning across multiple countries.
Priyanka has largely worked in the US since 2015, with The Sky Is Pink in 2019 marking her last Hindi film.
The first-look image generated strong interest among Telugu viewers due to her pairing with Mahesh Babu.
Malayalee audiences also followed updates closely because of Prithviraj’s involvement.
When international promotions began, Priyanka shared a note reflecting on the project.
She wrote that working with Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj on a Rajamouli film was a privilege.
Priyanka added that audiences abroad are already responding to the early material with curiosity.
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