Very few Telugu people know about Gautamiputra Satakarni and many started ‘googling’ to get information about the great ruler, ever since director Krish announced to make the film with Natasimha Nandamuri Balakrishna. The director was very emotional while he was speaking at the film’s audio launch event. Before briefing about the film, he thanked his mother and wife for their support.

“I got to know about Gautamiputra Satakarni from a book. Even, I don’t know much about him until then. I started doing research on his life to collect much statistics about him. Our CM Chandrababu Naidu went to London to visit an ancient museum where Amaravati remains were safeguarded. He promised to bring at least few of them back to our Amaravati. Great thing is London people are admiring our tradition and culture.

When I informed few of my Maharshtrian friends about making a film on Gautamiputra Satakarni, they asked me whether I was making the film in Marathi, why because they are well aware of the great emperor. One of my friends notified me that, Chatrapathi Sivaji’s mother Jijiya Bhai used to tell him that, you should become as commendable as Satakarni.

A Tamil friend of mine told me that Tamils are well aware of Satakarni who is admired there as Nutruvar Kannar. I got some more information from Megasthenes Indica, which means even westerners know about him. We Telugus should feel ashamed to unaware about the ace king.

Fact is that, a story designates hero who fits appropriately for it. Basavataraka Putra Balakrishna can only do this film. You know how this film happened and how we got to know about Satakarni, it’s because of Balakrishna who gave nod for the film in just 10 minutes of narration,” affirmed Krish.

GPSK is fifth film for Krish whose previous films were critically acclaimed as well as commercially successful. The director warned opponents saying, Khabaddar Gautamiputra Satakarni is arriving for Sankranthi. As we all know, megastar Chiranjeevi’s Khaidi No 150 and Sharwanand’s Shatamanam Bhavathi are also hitting the screens for the festival.