Kannada star Sathish Ninasam is poised to make his debut in the Tamil film industry with the period action drama Rise of Ashoka. The film, which is based on true events from the 1970s, explores themes of caste oppression and social rebellion. The promotional campaign kicked off with a press conference in Chennai, attended by the cast and crew.
Directed by Vinoth V. Thondle, the narrative centers on Ashoka, a young man from the barber community who strives to secure a government job to escape his hereditary profession and challenge deep-seated societal norms. Speaking at the event, Sathish Ninasam emphasized the cross-cultural relevance of the story. “The story is set in Chamarajanagar, on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Even the dialect spoken there carries a mix of Tamil. Languages may differ, but emotions are universal,” the actor stated. He also noted that the global success of Kannada films like KGF and Kantara inspired him to mount this project on a pan-Indian scale.
The film features Sapthami Gowda as the female lead, marking her return to Tamil screens following the success of Kantara. Addressing her absence from the industry, she explained, “I received many offers from the Tamil industry after Kantara released here. Most were very similar to my role in Kantara, or had me playing much older than my actual age.” She also clarified that her absence from the upcoming Kantara Chapter 1 is due to the divergence in character arcs. In Rise of Ashoka, she plays Ambika, a woman with distinct ambitions whose struggle defines the film’s climax.
Produced under the banners of Vriddhi Creation and Sathish Picture House, the film also stars P. Suresh, Sampath Maitreya, and Ravishankar. The technical crew includes cinematographer Lavith and composer Poornachandra Tejaswi. Rise of Ashoka is slated for a release in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi.