The teaser of the upcoming bilingual film Shesha 2016, simultaneously made in Kannada and Malayalam, was officially launched recently. The film, directed by debutant Pradeep Arasikere and produced by Manjuvani V. S. and Veena S under the banner of Marigudi Entertainments, deals with the pressing issue of corruption within the police department.
The Malayalam teaser had already garnered appreciation online, and now the Kannada teaser was released at M.M.B Legacy in a grand ceremony. The event was graced by Malayalam film Goat Life’s line producer Sushil Thomas, ad filmmaker and producer Slub Varghese, BBMP corporator Prem Kumar, and Manjunath. They launched the teaser and appreciated the team’s effort in bringing a socially relevant story to the screen.
Director Pradeep Arasikere, who previously worked at K.E.B., said, “This is my first film as a director. I quit my job to pursue my passion for cinema. I’ve worked on a few projects earlier, and that experience gave me the confidence to handle this subject. We shot simultaneously in both Kannada and Malayalam with dedicated language teams.”
The film explores systemic corruption in the police force and its impact on common people. “Unlike health and education, where private alternatives exist, there’s no such alternative to the government police system,” he added. The film raises questions about solutions to such issues and was shot mostly during rain and at night over a span of 35 days. It has completed the censor process and is gearing up for release in June.
Producer Manjuvani V. S., who is also a lecturer, shared, “We were impressed by the story and decided to support it fully, without focusing on the budget. Our family supported us, and we ensured the team had everything they needed.” Co-producer Veena S added, “We wanted to make a meaningful film for society. Everyone supported us immensely.”
Music director Poornachandra Tejaswi stated, “There are no songs in the film. The background score carries the emotional weight. Initially, I thought it was a Kannada-only film, but was surprised to learn it’s bilingual.”
Cinematographer R.S. Anand Kumar, writer Raghavendra Maiya, and executive producer Rani Manjunath shared their bilingual shooting experiences.
Malayalam actor John Kaippallil, who plays a key police officer, said, “This is my first Kannada film. I thank the makers for this opportunity. I admire Dr. Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar and even visited Puneeth’s memorial before starting the shoot.” Actor Pramod Shetty, veteran Sidlingu Sridhar, Archana Kottige, and Sai Bhairava also shared their experience.
The teaser, featuring a powerful voiceover by Kannada actor Vasishta Simha, has already gone viral. Shesha 2016 is all set to reach audiences soon, creating awareness about corruption in law enforcement.
