At a time when the Kannada film industry’s success rate is at an all-time low, it takes a lot of courage to experiment with content. However, film director Srinidhi Bangalore and actor-producer Dixit Shetty are confident that their attempt will pay off.
For young film buffs who appreciate director Srinidhi for his New Age storytelling, yet another unconventional effort from him will hardly come as a surprise. After all, this is a director who started out making a time travel movie(blink, 2024), and then released a fantasy web series (Jerax) about a photocopier that clones people. His latest, found footage horror film Videoonce again heading into unfamiliar territory.
The film, which will release on September 11, 2026, aims to revive the dead genre of Kannada cinema. Back in 2013, footage of the Kannada horror drama K.S. Ashoka. 6-5=2 sparked the imagination of young moviegoers just hooked on the irresistible magic of social media. Ashoka, fan The Blair Witch Project (1999) adopted the found footage style of the groundbreaking film.
Despite the huge success 6-5=2, the genre is yet to take off in India and is still considered a risky proposition. “Popularity 6-5=2 It’s a blessing in disguise for us,” says Dixit, who turns producer with Video. “At least it prepared the audience for the style of filmmaking.” However, the actor believes that comparing the two films too closely would be unfair. “Nani (Telugu actor) once told me: Arnold (Schwarzenegger) wears a black jacket in Terminator (1984), and Shah Rukh Khan wears a similar jacket in LVDP (1995). MaybeAre both films the same?
Still from the film “Video”. | Photo credit: SPECIAL EVENT
“The love stories were presented to us in different ways. We cannot say that they are all the same,” adds Srinidhi, talking about the complex process of filming. Video. The film follows a group of youngsters who go to a haunted school in interior Odisha, hoping to increase the popularity of their already viral YouTube channel.
“We asked our actors to vlog regularly to help them feel comfortable filming and creating content. We also conducted a two-day pilot with various cameras, including a GoPro camera and a Sony camera, asking them to explore locations that seemed haunted.
“By visiting similar locations with my technical team, I realized that we couldn’t use traditional lighting for the film. I observed how the flashlight created visible beams as dust particles rose into the air, which became an important visual element. The complex shots also required lengthy blocking, rehearsals and acting workshops. As we moved forward, the actors became more comfortable and developed camaraderie.”
Dikshit points out the technical challenges of making such a film. “I often wondered how the editor, Sanjeev Jagirdar, went through hours of footage to choose the best visual effects. He got footage from 12 different types of cameras,” says Dixit, while Srinidhi adds, “Editing may seem seamless to people, but it was far from simple. We took part of one frame from the main camera and spliced it with another frame the moment the camera pans.”
Srinidhi explains how difficult it is to stay true to a challenging genre when working with aspiring actors. “Experienced actors are aware of being ‘in focus’ and ‘out of focus’ while filming a scene. They know where to look when delivering their lines to stay in frame and fit the camera. However, in our case there were multiple cameras and the actors didn’t know where they were positioned. Initially, they didn’t know where to look or deliver their lines.”
“We also had very unique camera angles. The actors had to feel comfortable with them, even though they didn’t always look good on camera. We had to go for it because we wanted to create a feeling of uneasiness in the audience.”
Video comes out a few months later Obsession, a global sensation that marked a new chapter in the horror genre. The film was praised for its high production values despite its modest budget. “Every script has a proper budget. Sometimes the budget increases when a star or a popular director comes into the project,” says Dixit. “In some cases, a script with a lot of potential may seem compromised on screen due to budgetary constraints. Video was done with exactly the budget it deserves.” Srinidhi notes that the support of a producer is a plus for such projects. “We had to re-shoot some scenes. Some portions did not satisfy me. They looked great on paper, but didn’t look great on screen. I’m glad Dixit understood the need for reshoots.”
Still from the film “Video”. | Photo credit: SPECIAL EVENT
Trailer Video promises 40 percent entertainment and 60 percent horror. Is it really impossible to make a full-fledged horror film in India? “I can make an ambient horror drama. But here I have consciously created an artist with a found footage style. There is friendship, emotion, a culture of content creation and a new way of seeing horror. If I make a horror drama based purely on suspense, then I will be catering to a niche audience. I wrote Video for a wider audience.”
Dixit adds that a true horror drama requires patience from the audience. “When you make a film for a general audience, you have to create a spectacle that also balances its genre elements.”
Given that found footage is popular in Hollywood, is the team worried about comparisons or accusations of copying? “I have always encountered this and am ready for such comments about Video and also, says Srinidhi. – People are quick to judge. When I did Blink (2024), Puttanna Kanagal Ranganayaki (1981) and Shakespeare Oedipus the King were my starting points. But because of one conflict, people compared him to Predestination (2014). Ideas are rarely original. How you frame this idea and make it unique matters a lot. My films are a tribute to my favorite films that inspired me to become a director,” he asserts.
Published – September 13, 2026 12:49 pm EST.