In 2006, producer AM Rathnam launched a movie titled 'Satyagrahi'. Pawan Kalyan was its hero, writer and director. The project's launch was attended by Venkatesh, Dasari Narayana Rao, and Allu Arjun. The film was shelved in no time.
In his latest interview, Rathnam said that 'Satyagrahi' was shelved because the failure of 'Johnny', Pawan's debut directorial, disappointed them.
'Johnny' was released in 2003. 'Satyagrahi' was narrated to Rathnam by Pawan Kalyan during the making of 'Bangaram'. By then, 'Gudumba Shankar' and 'Balu' were made. The failure of 'Johnny' doesn't seem to be the reason for shelving the project.
It is believed that Pawan was not motivated enough at that time. In a tweet last year, this is what Power Star wrote: "'Satyagrahi' was a political film inspired by Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan’s Emergency movement in contemporary times. Did the film's opening and shelved it to do it in real life. It’s more satisfying to walk the talk rather than to act it out in a film."
