# Raghava Lawrence unveils first look as Karna in Mahaveer Karna

Published 2026-09-23T20:13:36Z

> Raghava Lawrence's first look as Karna from the Ramesh Varma mythological epic Mahaveer Karna has been unveiled, with the multilingual live action film mounted on a large scale by Pen Movies.

Raghava Lawrence has stepped into mythology for the first time, and the proof is now out. The makers of Mahaveer Karna have unveiled his first look as the Mahabharata warrior, and the poster has set fans talking. Ramesh Varma directs, with Pen Movies putting out the image of Lawrence as the figure known for honour, loyalty, sacrifice and destiny.

The film is being built as an ambitious hybrid live action epic drawn from the Mahabharata. Live action performances are being blended with advanced visual effects to build a large mythological world on screen. Jayantilal Gada presents the project, and Pen Movies produces it along with Sri Neeladri Productions and RV Studios.

The production is reportedly being planned on a huge scale. Elaborate sets, period detailing, action blocks and heavy VFX are said to form the visual base of the film. The story stays with Karna, a man shaped by rejection, friendship, loyalty, hard choices and fate, which gives the epic room to show both the warrior and the wounded man inside him.

Lawrence himself called the casting unexpected. Sharing the look on social media, he said he was happy and blessed to play one of the most legendary characters from mythology, thanked Ramesh Varma for bringing the script to him, and asked for the blessings and support of audiences as he takes on the journey with gratitude and humility.

It is a clear turn for an actor audiences mostly know from commercial cinema, particularly action and horror. Karna is not a part that a strong look alone can carry, since everyone already knows where the story ends. The interest now sits in how the team approaches the tale and what Lawrence brings to it.

Ramesh Varma, whose earlier films include Rakshasudu and Khiladi, is working in mythological territory here. The crew has Ramji Dott as cinematographer and hybrid creator, Prawin Pudi as editor, Sree Mani on dialogues, Gnaani as composer and Gandhi Nadikudikar as production designer. Mahaveer Karna is planned as a multilingual theatrical release in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam, with public listings and recent reports pointing to a December 4, 2026 worldwide release, while one report places the release in 2027.

## Related titles
- [Mahaveer Karna](https://clapnumber.com/movies/mahaveer-karna)

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Source: https://clapnumber.com/news/raghava-lawrence-unveils-first-look-as-karna-in-mahaveer-karna
Retrieved: 2026-09-25