Raghava Lawrence transforms into Karna in Rs 150-crore epic Mahaveer Karna poster

Raghava Lawrence has been unveiled as Karna in Ramesh Varma's upcoming film Mahaveer Karna. The first look marks his entry into mythology with a Rs 150 crore five-language epic.

In Short

• Raghava Lawrence to play Karna in Mahaveer Karna
• Film budgeted at Rs 150 crore, releasing in five languages
• Directed by Ramesh Varma, marking Lawrence's mythological debut

Raghava Lawrence is stepping into the shoes of one of Indian mythology’s most iconic warriors. The actor has been unveiled as Karna in director Ramesh Varma’s upcoming epic Mahaveer Karna, with the makers releasing his first look on Tuesday. Mounted on a reported budget of Rs 150 crore, the film is being planned as a five-language theatrical spectacle.

The first-look poster gives a glimpse of Lawrence as Karna, marking a dramatic departure from the commercial and action-driven roles the actor has predominantly taken on. Pen Movies unveiled the poster with the tagline, “A Face. A Legend. A Warrior.” The production house also described the project as Lawrence’s first foray into mythology.

Raghava Lawrence shared the poster in multiple languages and wrote, "I'm truly happy and blessed to portray one of the most legendary characters from our mythology, #Karna. I never expected this script to come to me, and my thanks to director @DirRameshVarma for bringing this script to me and making this happen. I take on this journey with gratitude and humility, and I need all your blessings and support (sic)."

Karna, one of the central figures of the Mahabharata, is known for his unwavering loyalty, courage, generosity and tragic relationship with fate. His journey, marked by questions of identity, rejection and allegiance, has made him one of the epic’s most layered characters.

With Lawrence taking on the role, Mahaveer Karna is being mounted as a large-scale retelling of the warrior’s story. The film is directed by Ramesh Varma, who has previously worked across action and commercial genres with films including Rakshasudu and Khiladi.

Rs 150-crore epic in five languages

Presented by Jayantilal Gada, Mahaveer Karna is being produced by Pen Movies, Sri Neeladri Productions and RV Studios. According to reports, the film is being made on a reported budget of Rs 150 crore and is planned as a multilingual release in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada.

The project is being described as a hybrid live-action epic, combining live-action filmmaking with extensive visual effects. The makers have previously teased the film’s ambitious visual world, with the story expected to bring Karna’s era, kingdoms, warriors and battle sequences to the screen on a large scale.

The technical team includes Ramji Dott as cinematographer and hybrid creator, Prawin Pudi as editor, Shreemani as dialogue writer and Gnaani as music composer. The film’s production design and VFX are also expected to play a major role in creating its mythological setting.

Mahaveer Karna is currently slated for a worldwide pan-India theatrical release on December 4, 2026.

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