Following his directorial debut Student No. 1 (2001), S.S. Rajamouli intended to helm a fantasy film starring Prakash Kovelamudi. However the high budget and the flop of the actor's first film, Neetho (2002), led to the project's demise and Rajamouli moving on to this film.
An earlier incarnation of the project was meant to be directed by Gopal B. and star Nandamuri Balakrishna.