Actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty unveils his home banner’s 2024 line-up

Kannada actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty will not have a release in 2024; as an actor, that is. Unless, of course, he still has a cameo in the upcoming Bachelor Party, as was hinted in the film’s first poster. His production house, Paramvah Studios, though, has busy days ahead. This year, there will be at least three feature presentations in theatres, which will introduce three new filmmakers to Kannada cinema. Heralding the new year, Rakshit had revealed Paramvah Studios’ slate for 2024, which, incidentally, includes only a few of the projects that are ready from the banner.

Kicking the year off is Bachelor Party, debutant director Abhijit Mahesh’s take on presenting a desi version of Hangover. The film has Diganth in the lead, as a married man, who joins his childhood pal, played by Loose Mada Yogi, for a bachelor party. Bachelor Party was initially announced as a film with Diganth, Rishab Shetty and Achyuth Kumar, with Rakshit set to do a cameo. But following the success of Kantara, Rishab excused himself from the project and Yogi was cast instead. The film will now be in theatres on January 26, as one of 4-5 Kannada movies eyeing the Republic Day holiday. Whether or not Rakshit will feature in Bachelor Party will be revealed on January 26.

Rakshit Shetty on the future he envisions for filmmakers associated with his banner 

Sumanth Bhat’s Mithya is on the list too. Premiered at the Jio MAMI Film Festival, Mithya follows 11-year-old Mithun, as he faces the devastating loss of his parents, navigates the process of moving to a new place with next of kin and then realizing that he has a sibling he hadn’t seen or heard of earlier. Mithya does not have a confirmed release date yet. The third film that Rakshit has promised is Chandrajit Belliappa’s directorial debut, the love story Ibbani Tabbida Ileyalli, starring Vihaan and Ankita Amar, which also brings back Geetanjali actress Girija Shettar to Kannada cinema. This again, does not have a confirmed release date, but will be a 2024 presentation.

Shishir Rajmohan’s Abracadabra, which has Anant Nag in the lead, finds no mention in Rakshit’s post, although it is ready for release. Yet another film that seems to have missed the 2024 boat is Strawberry, directed by Arjun Lewis, with Sruthi Hariharan, Chaithra J Achar and Dheekshith Shetty in the lead. The web series Ekam that Paramvah Studios has produced has also not made it to Rakshit’s list, but considering that all of these projects are ready for audiences, things could turn around, after all.

Rakshit Shetty on his Paramvah Studios: Good cinema happens when a filmmaker can tell stories without any compromise