Varanasi stadium’s trishul floodlights spark buzz, Echo Rajamouli’s Varanasi hype

The under-construction Varanasi International Cricket Stadium in Uttar Pradesh has become a talking point well beyond the sports world, thanks to its striking Shiva-inspired trishul-shaped floodlight pylons that draw directly from the city’s spiritual identity. As images and videos of the stadium circulate online, fans are linking its visual symbolism to filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli’s much-anticipated film Varanasi , turning the venue into an unexpected pop-culture reference.

Built by Larsen & Toubro at an estimated cost of ₹450 crore, the 30,000-seat stadium is nearing completion and is expected to be ready later this year. Reports suggest it could soon host Indian Premier League matches, marking a major sporting milestone for Varanasi, a city better known for its ancient ghats and spiritual traditions than for international-level cricket infrastructure.

The stadium’s trident-themed design has especially resonated with cinema fans following updates from Rajamouli’s Varanasi , which stars Mahesh Babu in the lead. One widely discussed sequence reportedly features the actor charging forward on a bull while wielding a trishul, a moment Rajamouli has described as among the most powerful visuals of his career. According to the makers, nearly 50 per cent of the film was completed by late 2025, with shooting spanning multiple timelines from ancient India to the modern era.

Scheduled for a theatrical release on April 7, 2027, Varanasi is being positioned as a grand mytho-action drama rooted in Indian civilisational themes, and its visual motifs appear to be finding resonance outside cinema halls as well. Social media users have praised what they see as a seamless blending of culture, sport and spectacle, calling the stadium’s design “cinematic” and “deeply Indian.”

However, not all reactions have been unanimous. Some voices online have questioned whether overt religious symbolism should be part of modern sporting venues. Others argue that Varanasi’s identity is inseparable from its spiritual heritage and that reflecting it in public architecture only strengthens cultural representation.

As the stadium inches closer to completion and excitement builds around Varanasi , the convergence of cricket, cinema and cultural symbolism has added a distinctly cinematic layer to the city’s evolving modern landscape one that continues to spark debate as much as admiration.

The stadium itself doesn’t have a specific public inauguration date yet it’s expected to be completed later in 2026 and could host IPL matches soon after.