Chennai, Jun 2 (IANS): After teasing with a pre-look poster, the makers of Telugu star Nikhil Siddhartha's 20th movie, 'Swayambhu', released its first look on the actor's birthday on Thursday.

Directed by Bharat Krishnamachari and produced by Bhuvan and Sreekar under the Pixel Studios banner, with Tagore Madhu presenting it, shooting for the lavishly mounted pan-India historical drama will start in August this year.

'Swayambhu' means self-born or 'the one that is created of its own accord'. The first-look poster presents Nikhil as a ferocious warrior on the battlefield. Sporting long hair and a grimace, he is seen riding a horse with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other.

It is said to be the most expensive movie in Nikhil's career, with cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa, music from Ravi Basrur and dialogues by Vasudev Muneppagari.

Nikhil's upcoming new release will be 'Spy', centred around the disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.