The austerity bug has smitten even Gunasekhar. The director who used to make the producer spend through the nose for erecting extravagant sets is in the news for going austere. The making of Nippu, which stars Ravi Teja in the lead, is apparently demanding a modest budget from its producer YVS Chowdhary. Modest doesn't in any way mean that the film is being made on a shoestring budget.

It seems to have dawned upon the director that spending lavish budgets will eventually prove to be cost-ineffective if the film doesn't run to packed houses for at least 6-7 weeks.

Arjun, Sainikudu and Varudu were all cost failures. In this context, the director has changed his strategy for Nippu. With a producer like YVS, who is himself a canny director, his task has been made easy.

Meanwhile, expectations on Nippu are high. It is releasing on Jan. 13, 2012 and the audio (SS Thaman) will be released on Dec. 13, 2011.