The wait is finally over for fans of SS Rajamouli and Mahesh Babu. On Friday, the master storyteller unveiled the first look of Prithviraj Sukumaran from his much-awaited global adventure epic ‘Globe Trotter’. The acclaimed actor appears as the film’s main villain named Kumbha, who Rajamouli described as “sinister, ruthless, and powerful.”
Rajamouli took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the stunning poster that revealed Prithviraj’s menacing avatar. Sitting on a futuristic wheelchair fitted with robotic arms and legs, the actor’s look hints at both physical vulnerability and overwhelming power.
The director accompanied the image with a message that instantly went viral: “After canning the first shot with Prithvi, I walked up to him and said you are one of the finest actors I’ve ever known. Bringing life to this sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist KUMBHA was creatively very satisfying. Thank you, Prithvi, for slipping into his chair… literally.”
After canning the first shot with Prithvi, I walked up to him and said you are one of the finest actors I’ve ever known.
Bringing life to this sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist KUMBHA was creatively very satisfying.
Thank you Prithvi for slipping into his chair…… pic.x.com/E6OVBK1QUS
— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) November 7, 2025
Prithviraj responded warmly: “It’s been an absolute honour, Sir! So looking forward to the rest of this mad, mad ride!”
Soon after, Mahesh Babu joined in the excitement sharing the same poster and writing, “Stood on the other side… time to meet you head-on KUMBHA.”
Adding to the buzz, Priyanka Chopra, who also stars in the film, posted the image with the caption, “We take off with this one… Meet KUMBHA!!”
SS Rajamouli’s vision behind the movie
Back in August, Rajamouli had teased fans by announcing that details about the project would start coming out in November. “The story and scope of this film are so vast,” he had written, “that mere pictures or press conferences cannot do it justice. We are creating something that will take you into an immersive world. Like never before. The reveal will happen in November 2025, and it will be a ‘never-before-seen’ experience.”
True to his word, the visionary filmmaker has begun unfolding his grand creation piece by piece. Mahesh Babu in his own post back then had expressed similar excitement: “Thank you for all the love. I am eagerly waiting, as you all are, for November 2025 to enjoy the reveal with all of you.”
Reports suggest that ‘Globe Trotter’ is a breathtaking blend of history, mythology, and adventure, spanning continents and cultures. The film is said to explore ancient secrets buried deep within the modern world with Mahesh Babu playing a daring explorer caught in a battle that transcends time.
Interestingly, Prithviraj’s role as Kumbha isn’t a conventional villain. His look hints at a character who has suffered and evolved into something formidable.
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The production of the film has also made headlines for several other reasons. For one, Mahesh Babu has reportedly performed all his own stunts, that too without using a body double. Sources close to the film say the actor underwent intense training for months to prepare for the physically demanding action sequences.
Adding to the global scale, about 95 percent of the film’s African sequences were shot in Kenya. The country’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia W. Mudavadi even confirmed this, expressing pride that Rajamouli chose Kenya’s landscapes for such a massive international project.
In another surprising change, Rajamouli has opted for a new cinematographer instead of his long-time collaborator KK Senthil Kumar.
A portion of the movie has also been shot in Odisha where stunning natural terrains provided the backdrop for some key sequences.
The film is likely to release in 2027.