Emotional Rajamouli said in ‘Varanasi’ program that he does not believe in God, facing criticism

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli said that he does not believe in God, sparking widespread discussion. The filmmaker, known for weaving Hindu mythology into his films, made his views public during the launch event of his new film ‘Varanasi’.

Addressing the audience at the event, Rajamouli said, “This is an emotional moment for me. I don’t believe in God. My father came and said that Lord Hanuman will take care of things from behind. Does he take care like this – I am getting angry thinking about it.”

Rajamouli said these words in the context of leaks and technical glitches that came to light at the event. He further said, “My wife also likes Lord Hanuman very much. She behaves as if he is her friend and talks to him. I even got angry at her.”

He further said, “When my father talked about Hanuman and suggested relying on his blessings for success, I felt very angry.”

Here’s what SS Rajamouli said:

The director’s statement was met with confusion and criticism from a section of the audience. Many of them said that Rajamouli’s filmography, which includes titles like ‘RRR’ and ‘Baahubali’, is heavily inspired by Hindu mythology.

A social media user said, “It was unfair on Rajamouli’s part to say that he doesn’t believe in God. How did he name the film ‘Varanasi’ and use mythological characters? Doesn’t he know that it hurts people? This is not expected from a person of his stature.”

Another wrote, “Suppose Rajamouli lied about being an atheist, what’s the big deal?? He’s not targeting any community, just taking Hindu mythology as inspiration for his characters, so what’s really provoking the leftists? (sic)”

In the program, Rajamouli also told about his attraction towards Indian epics. He said, “Since my childhood, I have talked many times about what Ramayana and Mahabharata mean to me and making them is my dream project. I never thought that I would get a chance to shoot an important episode of Ramayana so soon. While writing every scene and every dialogue, I felt like I was floating.”

He said, “On the first day, when Mahesh came in Lord Ram’s get-up for the photoshoot, I got goosebumps. I was heartbroken. Mahesh has the charm of Krishna, but the calmness of Ram. Still, I was convinced. I even set that picture as my wallpaper and then deleted it.”

Rajamouli further shared details about the making of ‘Varanasi’, highlighting the extensive effort involved in recreating key mythological themes. The director said, “We shot this sequence for 60 days, and we completed it only recently. Every day was a challenge. Every episode and sub-episode felt like a film in itself. Everything had to be re-imagined and planned afresh. Overcoming all those hurdles, we finally completed the sequence. I believe it will be one of the most memorable parts of the film.”

‘Varanasi’ is scheduled to release in theaters in the summer of 2027. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran.