By Grace Cyril,News18

Copyright news18

Filmmaker Prasanth Varma has revealed the first glimpse of Akshaye Khanna in his upcoming film Mahakali, and the transformation has already started conversations online. Khanna appears as the enigmatic ‘Asuraguru Shukracharya’, with long grey hair, a heavy beard, and an intense gaze, making him almost unrecognisable in the poster. This marks a significant moment for the veteran Bollywood actor, as the film is his debut in Telugu cinema.
Interestingly, the look immediately reminded many of Amitabh Bachchan’s recent appearance as Dronacharya in Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD. Bachchan’s role in the futuristic mythological drama had left a lasting impression on audiences earlier this year, and the comparisons show how strongly his presence continues to shape pop culture references. Several fans pointed out the similarities between the two avatars.
Akshaye’s first look from Mahakali
The poster reveals Khanna in an unrecognisable form, complete with long grey locks, a flowing beard, and a robe, with a piercing silver glint in his eyes. Sharing the look on social media, Prasanth wrote, “In the shadows of gods, rose the brightest flame of rebellion. Presenting The Enigmatic #AkshayeKhanna as the eternal ‘Asuraguru SHUKRACHARYA’ from #Mahakali.”
Take a look:

In the shadows of gods,
rose the brightest flame of rebellion ?
Presenting The Enigmatic #AkshayeKhanna as the eternal ‘Asuraguru SHUKRACHARYA’ from #Mahakali ?❤️‍?@PujaKolluru @RKDStudios #RKDuggal #RiwazRameshDuggal @ThePVCU pic.twitter.com/mclj39Q8z9
— Prasanth Varma (@PrasanthVarma) September 30, 2025

Khanna, last seen as Aurangzeb in Laxman Utekar’s period action drama Chaava alongside Vicky Kaushal, will make his Telugu debut with this project.
Comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan
The look sparked immediate reactions online, with some drawing parallels to Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Dronacharya in Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD. One user commented, “Amitabh Bachchan 40% Downloaded,” while another wrote, “Amitabh from kalki anukunna.”
Others speculated on the poster’s authenticity, with one remarking, “Why this delay? If someone had asked Amitabh during the time of Kalki’s shoot, he would have given two stills right away. For this poster, your so-called artificial intelligence tricks must have been used a long time ago.”
Amitabh Bachchan in Kalki AD.
More about Akshaye Khanna’s role
Sources close to the production earlier confirmed that Khanna’s character would be central to the storyline. “All we could reveal was that his role would add intrigue and depth to the growing PVCU universe. His role would span across multiple films in the franchise and would prove to be an exciting addition. We were hoping Mahakali would be received as well as HanuMan was,” a source told Hindustan Times.
The source added that filming had yet to begin as the makers were finalising the cast. “Prasanth was particular about whom he wanted to cast as the lead because this would be his first female superhero, and it required a certain charm while challenging beauty standards. Hopefully, all details would be ironed out soon, and the film would officially be rolled out,” they said.
The Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU) was launched in 2024 with HanuMan, starring Teja Sajja, which was inspired by the mythology of Lord Hanuman. Its sequel, Jai Hanuman, featuring Rishab Shetty, is currently in the works. Mahakali is being developed as the third installment in the franchise, centring on Goddess Kali.
The slate also includes Adhira, headlined by Dasari Kalyan as a character linked to Lord Indra, and another untitled project starring Mokshagna Teja. At one stage, actors Karthi and Ranveer Singh were considered for roles in the PVCU, though those plans did not materialise.