Mahesh Babu Backs Indian PC Game Studio

Telugu cinema actor Mahesh Babu has become a strategic investor in Shortgun Games, a Mumbai-based studio developing original video games for PC and consoles. The move marks a departure from the Indian digital entertainment market, which has historically prioritized mobile titles over high-budget console projects.

Shortgun Games was founded by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta. The company is building original intellectual property for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms. Its first major release is Project Takedown, a story-driven action-adventure game. The studio intends to compete with international releases in North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom.

Babu, who is currently leading the upcoming film Varanasi, cited the founders' clear ambition as a primary reason for his investment. He stated that India possesses the creative potential to build cinematic worlds that resonate globally. Babu emphasized the need to create high-end experiences that match international studio benchmarks.

To develop the combat sequences for Project Takedown, Shortgun hired action director Vicky Arora. Arora previously worked on the films Uri: The Surgical Strike, RRR, and Tanaav. His team is handling motion-capture choreography and combat previsualization. The studio uses live stunt performances to build the digital characters in the game, aiming for a level of physicality rarely seen outside top-tier global publishers.

Vidhit Mehta, who serves as a director at the studio alongside Chandan, described Babu's involvement as a major milestone. Mehta said the actor's understanding of large-scale storytelling elevates the team's vision as they develop the project. Chandan added that Babu's trust provides a strong vote of confidence for the team.

The founders aim to create lasting franchises that extend beyond regional borders. Babu's strategic involvement is expected to help the studio scale its technical capabilities and expand its creative talent. Beyond Project Takedown, Shortgun's current slate includes Roll 'em Out, a cooperative indie game.

The specific amount of Babu's investment was not disclosed. The studio continues to focus on engineering world-class interactive entertainment for PC and modern consoles.