The Rise of Ashoka’s Sathish Ninasam: No one will invest Rs 100 cr on me, so…

Kannada actor Sathish Ninasam is aware of his limitations, but has figured out what he needs to do in the film industry. His next, The Rise of Ashoka, releases on February 27, 2026

Sathish Ninasam in The Rise of Ashoka

Sathish Ninasam literally went through the grind in his acting career, beginning with small roles and often did not even have a name to his ‘character’. But he persevered and considered each a stepping stone to the next, determined to prove himself and, eventually, become a leading man. It took him 5 years, but then he got his big break with Lucia , in 2013, following which, his aim has been to be consistent in entertaining audiences. His longevity in the industry, he reckons, is down to the fact that he never let go of his dream to be a hero.

Sathish Ninasam: I don't have the option to...

But having said that, Sathish adds that he is also acutely aware of his limitations as a leading man, in terms of the risk a producer would be willing to take on him. Unlike, say, Rocking Star Yash, who had a dream and vision to catapult himself into the big league with a film like KGF, Sathish knows that he doesn’t have that option.

“No one will invest Rs 100 cr on me, so, for me, the same dream is possible only with the content I present audiences. When audiences come to theatres, they have to be happy about what they get to see. I have to give them the satisfaction of having watched a good film; that’s their return on investment. And those are the kind of films that will find success,” said Sathish in conversation with Kairam Vaashi.

Also read: Sathish Ninasam on The Rise of Ashoka: It would be unfair to dub the film as a tale of oppression | Exclusive

Kantara (2022) and Su From So , he reckons, are prime examples for this. So, when he is presented with good content, what Sathish says he can do is to present it in the best way possible within the budgetary limitations (market value) he has. In fact, even for the film’s Tamil and Telugu release, Sathish says that he had no means to get into those industries, until the team of his upcoming Tamil film helped him cross that bridge.

While he has used his ‘Lucia hero’ tag to some extent to promote The Rise of Ashoka in the Tamil and Telugu markets, Sathish says that his main focus has been to tell them to treat it as a newbie’s film and watch it for its content. If they like it, he hopes they will spread the word about it.

The Rise of Ashoka FAQs

Q. What was The Rise of Ashoka called initially?

A. The Rise of Ashoka was initially titled Ashoka Blade, which, leading man Sathish Ninasam thought did not suit the narrative and then changed it.

Q. Why was The Rise of Ashoka delayed in the making?

A. The Rise of Ashoka's director Vinod passed away during the making, leading to production being stalled for a while. Much later, the film's editor stepped in and wrapped up the filming.

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