Under the banner of Purple Rock Studios, Yatheesh Venkatesh and Ganesh Papanna are producing the film “Mahalaya,” with Dr. Suri (Bagheera) serving as the Creative Head. The film’s muhurtha ceremony took place at the Panchamukhi Ganapathi Temple in Mahalakshmi Layout. Mohan Mayanna, who has written the story and screenplay, is also directing the film. Roaring Star Sriimurali gave the film its official start by showing the clapboard for the first shot and wished the team success.
During the press meet that followed, producer Ganesh Papanna said, “This is the fifth film from our Purple Rock banner. This movie has a unique content that can be understood and enjoyed by all sections of the audience. We’ve planned the shoot in three schedules — 7 to 10 days of shooting in Armenia, Russia, followed by Bengaluru, and then in the rural areas of Malenadu, making it a total of 40 to 50 shooting days. The story itself is the hero of the film. However, there are more than 20 important characters, and well-known artists will be playing these roles. We’ll also be casting actors through auditions and will share details soon. The film features a distinct horror-thriller storyline, and every character has its own significance. Dr. Suri is standing with us as the Creative Head,” he added.
Another producer, Yatheesh Venkatesh, said, “For the first time, we’re bringing in artists from Armenia for our film. The story unfolds in three parts, and these artists will appear in one of them. I’ve listened to 3–4 stories narrated by director Mohan Mayanna — all of them were rooted in our culture and traditions. I liked the way he presented them, and that’s why we’ve placed our trust in him and given him this responsibility.”
Director Mohan Mayanna said, “I’ve worked with A. Harsha on Seetharama Kalyana and Bajrangi 2. I’ve also directed four to five short films, and after seeing those, the producers have given me this big opportunity. The story is set in the 1990s, and it has content that everyone can relate to.”
The film “Mahalaya” has Pavan Saikumar as the cinematographer, Bhuvan Chand as the music director, Ravi Santehaklu as the art director, and Addoori Girish handling production management.