The Rise of Ashoka

The Rise of Ashoka

The Rise of Ashoka (2026) is set in the village of Avarati near Mysuru, where the local barber community lives under an exploitative system controlled by a powerful middleman who monopolizes their livelihood and keeps them subjugated through fear and economic coercion. Ashoka, a young man from this community, grows up largely unaware of the depth of this oppression, as his focus is on education and his personal ambition to secure a government job, particularly as a revenue officer. His aspirations are supported by his father, who makes significant sacrifices to fund Ashoka's education, believing it to be a path out of generational hardship. As Ashoka becomes increasingly aware of the systemic injustice and the brutal control exercised over his community, his personal goals begin to collide with a broader moral responsibility. The suffering of the barbers, enforced by violence and humiliation, triggers a transformation in him from an individual seeking professional stability to an emerging voice of resistance. Gradually, Ashoka confronts the entrenched power structures that sustain the exploitation, particularly the influential broker who benefits from the community's labor while denying them dignity and fair compensation.

Release

27 Feb 2026

Run time

133 min

Language

Kannada