10 Years of Nag Ashwin: From debut to blockbusters; A Box Office story

Nag Ashwin's decade-long journey proves quality over quantity! From Yevade Subrahmanyam to Kalki 2898 AD, he has redefined Telugu cinema with vision and box office success.

Written by Shanaz Syed , Journalist

Published on Mar 22, 2025 | 03:14 PM IST | 4.8K

Credit: Nag Ashwin Instagram

Some filmmakers make noise with quantity, while others let quality do the talking and Telugu director Nag Ashwin falls into the latter category. With only three films to his credit in 10 years, including Yevade Subrahmanyam, Mahanati and Kalki 2898 AD, he has left an indelible mark on Telugu cinema, proving that storytelling and vision will always win the love of audience.

Starting his career as an assistant director to proven filmmaker Shekhar Kammula for films like Leader and Life is Beautiful, Nag Ashwin took the plunge into direction in 2015. He debuted with the film Yevade Subramanyam, starring Nani, Malavika Nair, Vijay Deverakonda, and Ritu Varma. The movie was a self-discovery drama made on a modest budget. Despite its small scale, the film’s heartwarming story telling and appealing performances turned it into a surprise box office hit, earning nearly five times its investment for his producer Vyjayanthi Movies.

His second film, Mahanati, released three years later, expanded his reach beyond Telugu cinema. This biographical drama centered around the life and times of legendary actress Savitri, starring Keerthy Suresh, Dulquer Salmaan, and Gemini Ganesan, with cameos by Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Vijay Deverakonda, was a commercial triumph at the Box Office. Also it has won huge critical acclaim. Made on a ₹25 crore budget, the film collected nearly three times its investment, cementing Nag Ashwin’s reputation as a filmmaker who could handle grand narratives with emotional depth.

Then came the mega film featuring India's happening hero, Kalki 2898 AD, the film that shattered records and rewrote box office history. Starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani, this sci-fi epic became the fifth highest-grossing Indian film domestically and the seventh highest-grossing Indian film worldwide, with a staggering ₹979 crore global collection. The film had a colossal ₹100 crore-plus opening day, proving Nag Ashwin’s ability to create cinematic spectacles with universal appeal.

As fans eagerly await his next move, Nag Ashwin has confirmed that Kalki 2 is in pre-production and might hit the screens this year. With such a track record, it’s safe to say that whatever he touches next will turn into box office gold.