‘Will people even accept me?’: Dulquer Salmaan almost said no to his Telugu debut, ‘Mahanati’; Nag Ashwin’s convincing call changed everything.

Dulquer Salmaan almost declined his Telugu debut in ‘Mahanati’ due to language concerns, but his acclaimed portrayal of Gemini Ganesan proved a career-defining role. Now, six years and multiple hits later, director Nag Ashwin praises his growth into a Telugu superstar as Salmaan prepares for his next Tamil film, ‘Kaantha’.