Trivikram Clarified His Role in ‘Hiranyakashyap’, Says Gunasekhar

The long-running speculation surrounding the ambitious mythological project Hiranyakashyap featuring Rana Daggubati has finally received some clarity. Director Gunasekhar has opened up about the film's development and addressed the rumors linking star filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas to the project.

For several years, industry circles have been abuzz with reports suggesting that Trivikram had taken over the director's responsibilities for Hiranyakashyap, a dream project that Gunasekhar has been nurturing for a long time. Given the scale and importance of the film, the speculation naturally generated considerable interest among movie lovers and industry observers.

Speaking about the issue, Gunasekhar revealed that he decided to directly contact Trivikram to understand the truth behind the reports. Instead of relying on hearsay and industry gossip, he personally called the acclaimed filmmaker and sought clarification.

According to Gunasekhar, Trivikram gave a straightforward response that immediately put the rumors to rest.

"I am only associated with the project from a writing perspective. I have absolutely no intention of directing the film," Trivikram reportedly told him.

The conversation appears to have resolved much of the confusion surrounding the project. While Trivikram may be contributing creatively to the script and writing process, the responsibility of directing the film remains elsewhere, ending years of speculation about his alleged involvement as director.

Apart from addressing the Trivikram issue, Gunasekhar also spoke candidly about the challenges that prevented his original version of Hiranyakashyap from taking off.

The filmmaker revealed that the project had once attracted the interest of major international studios, including Fox Star Studios and Disney. Both companies were reportedly keen to back the film, recognizing its potential as a large-scale mythological spectacle with global appeal.

However, the grand vision came with an enormous financial commitment. Gunasekhar disclosed that the estimated budget eventually touched nearly ₹300 crore, making it one of the most expensive projects ever planned in Telugu cinema at the time.

Faced with such a massive budget, the director decided to step back and reassess the project. "At that stage, I felt I was not in a position to effectively manage a film of that scale and budget. Rather than taking unnecessary risks, I chose to put the project on hold," Gunasekhar explained.

His comments offer a rare glimpse into the practical realities behind large-scale filmmaking, where creative ambition must often be balanced with financial feasibility.

Gunasekhar also shared his thoughts on another issue currently facing the film industry—the shrinking gap between theatrical releases and OTT premieres.

According to the director, many moviegoers today are choosing to skip theatres because they know films will arrive on streaming platforms within a few weeks of release. This trend, he believes, is affecting theatrical footfalls and reducing the urgency for audiences to watch films on the big screen.

"Many viewers are waiting for OTT releases instead of going to theatres because they are confident that the film will be available at home in a short span of time. We need to increase that gap," he said.

Drawing a comparison with Bollywood, Gunasekhar pointed out that Hindi cinema has already begun addressing the issue by extending the OTT release window.

"Bollywood realized the problem and increased the gap between theatrical and OTT releases by several weeks. We should also consider following a similar approach to protect the theatrical business," he added.