A few days before the Globetrotter event, a poster for a small film titled Varanasi was released. Most people ignored it. They assumed Rajamouli would choose a different title for SSMB29. But when the team officially announced the title at the event, it turned out to be the same.
This led to controversy.
A small production house named Ramabhaktha Hanuma Creations then released a letter showing that they had already registered the title Varanasi with the Film Producers Council. Their registration is valid from July 24, 2024, to July 23, 2025. The Film Producers Council has now confirmed that the title rights are not with Rajamouli's team. This means the title legally belongs to them during this period. This puts Rajamouli's team in a tricky position because they announced the same title publicly.
To avoid the issue, Rajamouli's team presented the name as SS Rajamouli's Varanasi. Many in the industry believe this does not fully solve the problem. The main title remains unchanged.
Title disputes are not new. Films like Khaleja, Katti and Gang Leader faced similar objections in the past. The other Varanasi film starring Aadi Saikumar deals with themes related to Sanatana Dharma and Kashi. It is a much smaller project. But legally the title belongs to them for now.
Everyone is watching to see what producers KL Narayana and SS Karthikeya will do next. Their options are limited. They can argue that SS Rajamouli's Varanasi counts as a different title. They can negotiate privately and settle the issue. They can also hope the smaller team steps aside voluntarily.
Changing the title at this stage is nearly impossible. The name has already been promoted nationally and internationally.
A settlement or negotiation seems the most likely outcome. The industry is now waiting to see how this dispute will be resolved.