Bimbisara, the 2022 hit that revived actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram’s box office standing, was originally written for Raj Tarun, according to the film’s director Vashishta’s father and producer Mallidi Satyanarayana Reddy. In a recent interview, Reddy shared the behind-the-scenes journey of the film and credited Jr. NTR for suggesting the final title.
Vashishta, who had faced multiple setbacks in getting his directorial debut off the ground, had initially planned the film with Raj Tarun. However, due to limited market interest, no producer was willing to back the project. Upon a suggestion from another producer, the script was pitched to Kalyan Ram, who had already heard a different story from Vashishta. After listening to the new script, Kalyan Ram agreed to star in and produce the film.
The story, initially titled Tughlaq, underwent a title change during development. Reddy revealed that Jr. NTR played a crucial role in this process, offering input that eventually led the team to settle on the title Bimbisara.
The film, a socio-fantasy drama, became a commercial success upon its release in 2022. Reddy also shared that before Bimbisara, Vashishta had pitched stories to actors like Nithiin, Ravi Teja, and Allu Sirish — some of which even reached the sets before being shelved.
He further disclosed that Vashishta’s real name is Venu and that he changed his name when his first directorial project officially began. Vashishta’s next venture, Vishwambhara, starring Chiranjeevi, is slated for release in July 2025.
