SS Rajamouli To Film Mahesh Babu-Priyanka Chopra’s SSMB29 In Tanzania: Report | Regional Cinema News

Last Updated:July 29, 2025, 11:38 IST

SS Rajamouli has picked Tanzania for the international shoot of SSMB29, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra.

Filmmaker SS Rajamouli has reportedly finalised Tanzania as the new international shoot location for his highly anticipated film SSMB29, starring Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra. The big-budget adventure drama has been shrouded in secrecy, but it is already being described as one of India’s most ambitious cinematic undertakings to date.

According to a report by Mid-Day, the original plans for filming in South Africa have now been shelved. The team had previously considered Kenya and South Africa for the film’s next schedule but encountered challenges in both countries. The Kenyan leg was cancelled earlier due to political instability, and now, South Africa has also been dropped from the itinerary.

“While the regions of South Africa they visited were stunning, they didn’t align with the on-screen world that Rajamouli had in mind. He wants a landscape that has an untamed and ancient vibe. Tanzania fits that vision better. The team had already locked Tanzania along with South Africa, but now it is the only location,” Mid-Day quoted a source as saying.

Filming in Tanzania is expected to begin in the second week of August. The shoot will take place in the Serengeti, a vast protected ecosystem known for its unique wildlife and raw landscapes. The team is reportedly planning a five-week schedule there, starting with an elaborate action sequence. A crew of around 200 members is expected to be involved in this phase of production.

SSMB29 had earlier gone on floors in Hyderabad and later wrapped up a schedule in Odisha. The shift to Tanzania marks the next major leg of filming for the epic, which also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and R Madhavan in important roles.

According to Gulte, the makers have no plans to drop any teaser or announcement on Mahesh’s birthday — a fresh departure from the usual tradition of sharing big film updates on celebs’ special days. Instead, the report indicates that the announcement will take more time but is being prepped as a “global phenomenon.”

With a reported budget of $116 million, the project is already being positioned as a global cinematic experience.

In the meantime, Mahesh Babu recently returned from a family vacation in Sri Lanka, where he celebrated his daughter Sitara’s birthday. He is expected to dive into an intense shooting schedule for SSMB29 from August 2025.

As per India Today, a source revealed, “August is when the cameras start rolling again. Mahesh has been undergoing extensive physical training, and Priyanka’s dates have been locked in after long coordination. This schedule is going to be intense and crucial for the story arc.”

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