Two new character stills of Mahesh Babu from S.S. Rajamouli‘s “Varanasi” were released Sunday to mark the actor’s birthday, showing his character Rudhra on location in Africa.

The film’s story spans thousands of years and traverses multiple continents, with locations ranging from Antarctica to Africa to the titular Indian city. Babu plays the dual roles of the protagonist Rudhra and Hindu God Rama, Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays a character named Mandakini and the main antagonist Kumbha is played by Prithviraj Sukumaran.

The images were shot at the Kilimanjaro and Maasai Mara locations, two of the African settings featured in the film. In one still, Mahesh Babu reclines on a bamboo raft in a jungle setting, dressed in a loose olive-toned shirt and dark cargo trousers, with tousled curly hair and a full beard. The other image shows him in profile against the African savannah, with giraffes and zebras visible in the background.

Rajamouli described the character’s dual nature in a note accompanying the stills. “Rudhra was born to fulfil a purpose much larger than himself. He carries a destiny he did not ask for. He is witty, he is vulnerable, and he is fierce. That is what Mahesh brought to him. Anyone can play fierce. Very few can play fierce and fragile in the same breath,” he said in an Instagram post.

The director also reflected on the Africa shoot itself. “These frames are from our Africa schedule, and the land gave us something no set could. Shooting around Kilimanjaro and in the Masai Mara, I was stunned. There were mornings I felt even the 1.43:1 Imax frame could not hold what was in front of us,” he said.

The stills mark the latest in a series of character reveals from the production, following images of Priyanka Chopra Jonas released for her birthday.

Babu, who spent a year preparing for the role, underwent three months of Kalari martial arts training solely to adjust his posture for the character’s period-appropriate bearing. “I’m playing Lord Rama’s character, it required posture… you can’t stand like modern characters,” he has said to Variety.

He also trained with a track and field team for several months to modify his running style. “When I saw the shot, I was really happy. It was worth it, because that six months of training for that one shot was really worth it,” he said. “The way I walked changed, the way I stood changed, everything changed.”

“Varanasi” is Rajamouli’s follow-up to the Academy Award-winning “RRR.” M.M. Keeravani, who won the Oscar for “RRR’s” “Naatu Naatu,” is returning to score the new film.

“Varanasi” opens in theaters worldwide on April 7, 2027.