SS Rajamouli is once again in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Even as debates continue regarding his alleged comments on Lord Hanuman, a new dispute has emerged surrounding the title of his recently announced film, Varanasi. The big-budget project, featuring Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles, was formally announced on November 15 at an event held at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.

Before Rajamouli made his title public, producer Ch. Subba Reddy had already registered the same title under his banner Ramabhaktha Hanuma Creations, although under a different spelling (Vaaranasi). According to reports, Subba Reddy also renewed his title registration with the Telugu Film Producers Council recently. His title registration was renewed for the period July 24, 2025, to July 23, 2026, and a letter from the Producers Council confirming this renewal has been circulating widely on social media. 

In fact, just days before Rajamouli's announcement, Subba Reddy issued a press release stating that the shoot for his film titled Vaaranasi had already commenced. 

A source close to the issue revealed that Subba Reddy’s registration covers only the Telugu-language title, while Rajamouli’s team registered the title in multiple languages. This, the source claims, is the reason why Rajamouli unveiled the film's title only in English, refraining from announcing a Telugu version of the title that could potentially conflict with Subba Reddy’s registered one.

Attempts to contact Subba Reddy for clarification went unanswered, as he has reportedly declined to comment until the matter is settled. Meanwhile, the source confirmed that producer KL Narayana, who is producing Rajamouli’s film, has been in direct communication with Subba Reddy in an effort to resolve the conflict amicably.

Both parties are said to be engaged in ongoing discussions, and a resolution is expected within the next couple of days. Until then, neither producer is willing to make a public statement on the issue.