Roopesh Shetty recently wrapped up shooting for his directorial debut, Jai, and he proudly shares his experience working with Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who is also a Tulu person by birth. However, this marks Suniel’s first role in a Tulu film.
“I always knew Suniel would do a Tulu film one day, but I never imagined I would direct him. I had no personal connection or contact with him, and many big names had already approached him for various projects.
When I finally got the chance to meet him through a producer’s friend, he had no idea I was there to talk about a film. Honestly, I went in with no expectations. I just thought I’d meet him and maybe get a picture. But surprisingly, I got five minutes to narrate the story of Jai, which is based in Mangaluru. To my delight, it caught his interest.”
Roopesh continues, “When I sensed his excitement, I pitched his character, and he liked it right away. Filming with him was the biggest experience of my life. We’ve wrapped up the shoot, with just a song left. We’re aiming to release the film in the second half of 2025.”