Srinidhi Bengaluru and Dheekshith Shetty on ‘Video’: It’s a found-footage horror thriller for a new-age audience

Director Srinidhi Bengaluru and actor-producer Dheekshith Shetty open up about taking an unconventional approach to horror and making the genre work for a wider audience with their found-footage Kannada film ‘Video’

Published - September 13, 2026 12:49 pm IST

Director Srinidhi Bengaluru (left) and actor-producer Dheekshith Shetty. | Photo Credit: RAVICHANDRAN N

At a time when the Kannada film industry’s success rate is at an all-time low, it takes considerable guts to experiment with content. Filmmaker Srinidhi Bengaluru and actor-producer Dheekshith Shetty, however, are confident that their attempt will pay off.

For young cinephiles who hold director Srinidhi in high regard for his new-age storytelling, another unconventional attempt from him hardly comes as a surprise. After all, this is the filmmaker who began with a time-travel film (Blink, 2024) and followed it up with a fantasy web series (Jerax) about a Xerox machine that clones humans. His latest, the found-footage horror Video, once again ventures into unfamiliar territory.

The movie, which hit the screens on September 11, 2026, aims to revive a dead genre in Kannada cinema. Back in 2013, KS Ashoka’s found-footage Kannada horror drama, 6-5=2 had fired the imagination of young moviegoers who were just getting hooked on the irresistible magic of social media. Ashoka, a fan of The Blair Witch Project (1999), had adopted the path-breaking film’s found-footage style.

Despite the massive success of 6-5=2, the genre is yet to take off in India and is still considered a risky proposition. “The popularity of 6-5=2 is a blessing in disguise for us,” says Dheekshith, who is turning producer with Video. “At least, it has prepped the audience for the style of filmmaking.” That said, the actor feels comparing the two movies too closely would be unfair. “Nani (Telugu actor) once told me. Arnold (Schwarzenegger) wears a black jacket in TheTerminator (1984), and Shah Rukh Khan wears a similar-looking jacket in DDLJ (1995). Canboth movies be the same?”

A still from the movie ‘Video’. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“Love stories have been presented to us in different ways. We can’t say that all of them are the same,” adds Srinidhi, who opens up about the complex process of filming Video. The film follows a group of youngsters who venture into a haunted school in the interiors of Odisha, hoping to boost the visibility of their already-viral YouTube channel.

“We asked our actors to make regular vlogs to get comfortable with shooting and creating content. We also did a two-day pilot with different cameras, including a GoPro and a Sony camera, asking them to explore locations that appeared haunted.

“While visiting similar locations with my technical team, I realised we couldn’t use traditional lighting for the film. I observed how a flashlight creates visible rays when dust particles rise in the air, which became an important visual element. The complex shots also required extensive blocking, rehearsal, and an acting workshop. As we progressed, the actors grew more comfortable and developed a great camaraderie.”

Dheekshith points out the technical challenges of making a film like this. “I would often wonder how the editor, Sanjeev Jagirdar, would sift through hours of footage to pick the best visuals. He would get footage from 12 different types of cameras,” Dheekshith says as Srinidhi adds, “The edit might seem seamless to people, but it was far from easy. We would take a portion of one shot from the main camera and stitch it with another shot during the moment when the camera turns.”

Srinidhi explains the challenges of staying true to a complex genre while working with rookie actors. “Experienced actors are aware of ‘in-focus’ and ‘out-of-focus’ while filming a scene. They know where to look while delivering their lines to stay in frame and suit the camera. However, in our case, there were multiple cameras, and the actors wouldn’t know where they were placed. They were initially confused about where to look and deliver their dialogues.”

“Also, we had some very peculiar camera angles. The actors had to be comfortable with them, even though they wouldn’t always look great on camera. We had to go for it because we wanted to create a sense of uneasiness among the audience.”

Video is releasing a few months after Obsession, the 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 right budget. Sometimes, the budget increases when a star or a popular director comes into the project,” says Dheekshith. “In some cases, a script with great potential can feel compromised on screen due to budget constraints. In our case, Video has been made with exactly the budget it deserves.” Srinidhi points out how a supportive producer is a plus for these kinds of projects. “We had to re-shoot some scenes. I wasn’t satisfied with some portions. They felt great on paper but weren’t looking good on screen. I am glad Dheekshith understood the need for a re-shoot.”