Priyanka Chopra Debuts Varanasi Character Mandakini on Birthday
Priyanka Chopra celebrated her 44th birthday on July 18 2026 with a major promotional reveal. Director S.S. Rajamouli posted two contrasting stills of Chopra as Mandakini from his upcoming action‑adventure film Varanasi, captioning them “Grace when she smiles. Fire when she doesn’t.” One image shows Chopra in a black corset‑style outfit with a fierce expression; the other shows her in a lighter, carefree look. The director added the tagline “To more adventures… more discoveries… and journeys across every horizon.”
Varanasi, slated for worldwide theatrical release on April 7 2027, stars Mahesh Babu as Rudhra and Prithviraj Sukumaran as the antagonist Kumbha. Production is in its final phase, with all major IMAX action sequences completed and shoots underway at Ramoji Film City on a large Aghora set. Nick Jonas, Chopra’s husband, shared birthday wishes and a short video of a Spanish holiday, also referencing the film. Fans on social media responded enthusiastically, flooding the posts with praise for the new look and anticipation for the film.
The film blends mythology, history and science‑fiction, traversing locations from Antarctica to Africa and the holy city of Varanasi. It marks Chopra’s return to Indian cinema after her 2019 appearance in The Sky Is Pink.