For many young professionals, a work-from-home job offers flexibility. For Sai Marthand, it also became an unexpected stepping stone towards a completely different career. Before becoming one of Telugu cinema’s most talked-about debut directors, he spent nearly two years working as a network engineer at Tech Mahindra. Today, his first film, Little Hearts, has emerged as one of the biggest surprise commercial successes of 2025.As his career in cinema gathers momentum, an Instagram post he shared earlier this year has resurfaced online, giving people a glimpse into his life before the cameras started rolling. In the post, Sai looked back on his corporate days with honesty, humour and gratitude, admitting that his growing love for films had already begun while he was still working as an engineer.
From network engineer to aspiring filmmaker
Sai Marthand worked at Tech Mahindra’s Pune office between 2021 and 2023 as a network engineer. Marking three years since resigning from the company, he shared an Instagram post in April recalling his journey.Reflecting on the work-from-home phase, Sai joked that although he was officially employed as a network engineer, he practically worked from “everywhere”. He also made a candid confession that caught the attention of social media users.Instead of portraying himself as the perfect remote employee, Sai wrote that he often slept during work hours, spent time with his cousins, watched countless films and immersed himself in interviews of filmmakers. Looking back, those activities appear less like distractions and more like the early stages of a dream taking shape.Ending the post with humour, he wrote, “Sorry Anand sir,” referring to Tech Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra, before thanking the company for the memories and describing those years as among the most special in his life.Despite the light-hearted tone, Sai also expressed sincere appreciation for his former teammates, thanking them for their patience and support. He fondly remembered receiving a smartwatch as a farewell gift when he left the company in April 2023.
Taking a leap that paid off
Soon after resigning, Sai decided to pursue filmmaking full time. It was a risky career move, but one that quickly began yielding results.His directorial debut, Little Hearts, a coming-of-age romantic comedy starring Mouli Tanuj Prasanth and Shivani Nagaram, was reportedly produced on a budget of around Rs 2.4 crore and completed in just over a month of shooting.The film went on to become one of Telugu cinema’s surprise success stories of 2025. According to box office tracker Sacnilk, it collected around Rs 40 crore worldwide, significantly outperforming expectations for a debut film. The success was further amplified by appreciation from Telugu stars Mahesh Babu and Nani, helping introduce Sai to a much wider audience. Following its theatrical run, the film also premiered on Netflix, expanding its reach beyond cinemas.
Recognition and what’s next
The success of Little Hearts was followed by industry recognition. Sai Marthand received the Best Debut Feature Film Director honour at the Telangana Gaddar Film Awards, marking an impressive beginning to his filmmaking career.His next project is already in the pipeline. Sai is set to write and direct an untitled film starring Adivi Sesh, with production expected to begin after the actor completes work on G2.Sai Marthand’s journey is one that may resonate with many young professionals who quietly nurture ambitions outside their day jobs. From a network engineer attending virtual meetings to a filmmaker whose debut won audiences and industry recognition alike, his story shows how a passion pursued with conviction can eventually become a profession.
