Adivi Sesh Reveals Struggles in Telugu Film Industry

Adivi Sesh, who grew up in San Francisco before entering the Telugu film industry, has spoken candidly about his struggles and the concept of nepotism in India. In a recent conversation, he described India as a 'nepo country’; highlighting the challenges he faced as an outsider trying to break into the industry.

Adivi recalled his experiences auditioning for roles in Mumbai, where his identity and background were constantly questioned. "So, after reading the lines in the audition, they asked, 'Where are you from?' When I said San Francisco, they said, 'Yes, there's an American accent in your Hindi.' The next week, I went for an audition to the same place, I told them I'm from Hyderabad. So they said, 'Oh ya, that's why there's a South Indian twang to your Hindi' (laughs). So, I was too Indian for America, too American for India, too North Indian for South India, and too South Indian for North India," he shared.

Despite these challenges, Adivi has earned respect and support from influential figures in the industry, including Mahesh Babu and Nani. "My luck is I earned respect of a lot of these film families from the first day itself. A lot of them have supported me. Like Mahesh Babu produced Major. Dacoit is being produced by Annapurna Studios (owned by Nagarjuna and family). My friend and favourite actor Nani produced Hit: The Second Case. So, it's a matter of respect more than anything," he added.

Adivi's upcoming projects include Dacoit, a revenge action thriller starring Mrunal Thakur and Anurag Kashyap, and G2, a Telugu drama with Emraan Hashmi and Wamiqa Gabbi, scheduled to release on May 1, 2026 as of now.