Yevade Subramanyam is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language coming-of-agedrama film directed by debutante film makerNag Ashwin, starring Nani as the title character, a corporate man who sets out on a journey of self-discovery. Produced by Priyanka Dutt, and Swapna Dutt the film also features newcomer Malavika Nair, Vijay Deverakonda, Ritu Varma, Krishnam Raju, Nassar, and Kireeti Damaraju in supporting roles. Much of the filming took place at the Everest Base Camp, becoming the first Indian film to be shot at the location. Upon release, the film received highly positive reviews, praising Nani's impeccable performance and the direction. This film became a Super Hit at the box office and trumped many movies which released around the same time. It marked Nani's comeback after a dry spell at the box office. It also gave a break to actor Vijay Deverakonda who won high praise for his performance, allowing him to take up lead roles following this film. This movie is dubbed in Hindi Titled Yeh Hai Jindegi by Goldmine Telefilms.
Plot
Subramanyam, called by everybody as Subbu, is a materialistic IIM graduate who is very ambitious. He works for Pasupathi, who aims to buy his rival Ramaiah's Company but fails at it. Subbu, with his wit and ability to manipulate people, makes Ramaiah's employees sell their shares. With this being Pasupathi's biggest success, Subbu gets engaged to his boss's daughter Riya. During the engagement ceremony, a childhood friend, Rishi, enters his life. Rishi is very energetic and opposite in the character to Subbu. Rishi is a true artist of life, who lives and never thinks about living. The same day they encounter a free-spirited girl Anandi in a pub. Rishi reveals his dream is to travel with Subbu to Doodh Kasi, a holy lake in the Himalayas. Riya, Subbu and everyone in Pasupathi's employment think that they have conquered Ramaiah's company but they are shocked when they lose some shares, threatening Pasupathi's buy-out of Ramaiah's company. This enrages Pasupathi who threatens to fire Subbu and break his engagement to his daughter. Subbu promises Pasupathi that he will win, and goes to Ramaiah asking him sell his company. Ramaiah rejects his offer humbly. Subbu feels low, and Rishi mentions about Doodh Kasi. Rishi is amused when he finds out that a shareholder's value has upset Subbu. Rishi has Subbu promise about a trip to Doodh Kasi in exchange for returning the shareholder's details. They go to the person who owns the shares and find out that he is Anandi's father and that her signature can make Subbu win. Subbu and Rishi learn that Anandi is a very lonely girl, who has no friends. They befriend her. She keeps postponing signing over the "shares" to Subbu even though it is foremost on Subbu's mind, who always looks to make Anandi sign on the shares. On the way to meet Riya, Rishi and Subbu see a little girl injured on the road and take her to the hospital. Late by a few minutes, the girl dies. Subbu forgets about it but Rishi cannot. A drunk Rishi argues with Subbu that the life they are leading is not the life they must live. Enraged, Subbu points to Rishi the sordid life he is leading, which makes Rishi leave. The next day, Subbu gets a phone call from a police officer who tells him that Rishi died in a road accident. A shocked Subbu and Anandi go to Kolkata for Rishi's funeral. There Anandi promises Subbu the shares if he will go with her to Doodh Kasi to scatter Rishi's ashes in the lake. A major part of the remaining story deals with the journey of Subbu and Anandi to Doodh Kasi with the help of a guide Pawan and the change in the mindset of Subbu from a money-minded calculative person to one who learns to live in the moment. It also shows how love blooms between Subbu and Anandi. After having come back from Doodh kasi, Subbu, now a changed man, cancels his engagement with Riya and approaches Ramaiah to give him back his company. The movie ends with Subbu proposing Anandi.
Yevade Subramanyam was produced by Priyanka Dutt and her sister Swapna Dutt, who is based in Hyderabad. They are the daughters of C. Ashwini Dutt, a well known Indian film producer and the founder of Vyjayanthi Movies. Priyanka Dutt studied filmmaking from UCLA.
Development
Filming near the Himalaya Mountains took forty days. The film differs from the television serial by location. For television, director Gowarikar shot scenes in Lukla in the Khumbu region of Nepal at 2,860 meters above sea level and then changed locations to Uttarakhand. Contrarily, Yevade Subramanyam is the only Indian film to be shot at some of Everest's highest points. In attempting to prepare himself, director Nag Ashwin trained on an inclined treadmill for several months prior to the shoot. Out of the 33 person filming crew, only 27 made it through to completion. Several members suffered from altitude sickness and other ailments and were taken to Kathmandu for treatment. To begin filming, production unit first departed Lukla and trekked to Gokyo and then to Chola Pass. However, during the shoot, cast and crew suffered from altitude sickness, cold weather, and a limited cuisine. Humorous moments during the shot included a makeup man being chased by a baby yak and the director being hit by a horse. The director took it as a good omen that during filming he met and spoke with Amelia Hillary, granddaughter of Sir Edmund Hillary.
Marketing
The Team behind Yevade Subramanyam came up with a unique promotion strategy for their film as a Sankranti gift where in Nani would read the news bulletin on TV 5 news Channel. On January 10, a "first look" motion poster was released featuring Nani.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by Radhan of Andala Rakshasi fame and Released by Lahari Music. Ilayaraja composed one song "Challa Gaali" adapted from his own song "Thendral Vanthu" which was composed for Tamil filmAvatharam.
