Yevade Subramanyam

Yevade Subramanyam? (transl. Who Is Subramanyam?) is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language coming-of-age drama written and directed by Nag Ashwin in his debut. It was produced by Priyanka Dutt and Swapna Dutt. It stars Nani, Malvika Nair, Vijay Deverakonda in his first lead role, and Ritu Varma, with Krishnam Raju, Nassar and Kireeti Damaraju in supporting roles. Released on 21 March 2015, it drew mostly positive reviews and became a sleeper hit.

Story

Subramanyam, or Subbu, played by Nani, is a materialistic IIM graduate set on climbing the corporate ladder. After helping his boss Pasupathi pull off a major takeover, he gets engaged to Pasupathi’s daughter. Then his free-spirited childhood friend Rishi comes back into his life, and Subbu is drawn into a journey of self-discovery.

Filming in the Himalayas

Much of the film was shot at the Everest base camps in Nepal, and the source says it was the first Indian film shot there. The Himalayan shoot took forty days. The unit trekked from Lukla to Gokyo and on to Chola Pass, facing altitude sickness, cold and limited food. Of the 33-member crew, only 27 finished the shoot, as several needed treatment in Kathmandu. Nag Ashwin trained on an inclined treadmill for months beforehand.

Marketing

As a Sankranti promotion, Nani read the news bulletin on the TV 5 news channel. A motion poster with the first look was released on 10 January.

Music

Radhan composed the soundtrack, released by Lahari Music. Ilaiyaraaja contributed one song, “Challa Gaali”, adapted from his own “Thendral Vanthu” from the Tamil film Avatharam (1995).

Reception

Critics praised Nani’s performance and the film’s message, though some found the narration slow. The Times of India gave it 3.5 out of 5 and called it a memory to savour. The Hindu recommended it to anyone drawn to the idea of breaking free and living by their own rules. It was a commercial success.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.