Chethan Shetty’s journey to direction has been shaped by persistence, chance encounters, and a passion for cinema. While filmmaking has always been on his mind, Chethan worked as a medical representative in the interim. “Cinema was always my goal, but life took me through different paths before I could finally reach here,” says Chethan, as he gears up for the film's release on January 30.
His first hands-on experience came through co-directing Chemistry of Kariyappa and Critical Keerthanegalu, which gave him the confidence to pursue independent direction. “Those films taught me how to handle actors, production pressure, and storytelling. After that, I knew I had to make my own film,” Chethan recalls. In 2023, he actively began approaching producers and, interestingly, made his first contact through social media, and he says that social media played a big role in connecting him to the right people.
Chethan chose to make his directorial debut with a horror-comedy titled Seat Edge, a decision inspired by everyday observations and digital culture. “The idea began when I saw my friends vlogging. They were not famous, but they loved recording everything. Around the same time, I was writing horror content and watching a lot of Gaurav Tiwari’s videos. At my house, I noticed small, unusual things, and somewhere I started feeling like something was happening around me. It could be imagination, but that feeling stayed.”
That’s when he connected vlog culture with ghost hunting. “Today, vloggers are obsessed with content and used to negative comments. I thought, what if that obsession leads them into something paranormal? That’s how I linked my friends’ vlogging, ghost hunting, and Gaurav Tiwari’s incidents.” Chethan adds that the film also takes cues from the mysterious circumstances surrounding Gaurav Tiwari’s death. “Fictionally, if Gaurav Tiwari had come to Bengaluru, what could have happened? His death is still a mystery, and we have captured that idea in true moments within the film.”
While ghost-hunting themes are familiar, Chethan says Seat Edge goes deeper into the paranormal while keeping entertainment intact. “Horror-comedy usually doesn’t give space for emotion. It is mostly for fun. But I have balanced comedy and horror with twists. Once the ghost hunters enter, the tone shifts, and mystery takes over.”
Opening up on casting Siddu Moolimani, Chethan says, “I have watched Siddhu’s work since his school days; he was my junior, and I always knew he had strong acting skills. Also, a vlogger needs someone who talks a lot, and Siddu is perfect for that."
Produced by Giridhara T Vasanthapura under the NR Cinema Productions banner, the film stars Raviksha Shetty along with Raghu Ramanakoppa, Girish Shivanna, Mimicry Gopi, Lakshmi Siddaiah, Kiran, Puneeth Babu, Teju Ponnappa, and Manmohan Rai in pivotal roles.
The shoot, however, came with its own set of challenges. “We had many night shoots, and timing was difficult. There were also strange moments. When we were shooting near HMT, there was a small fire accident nearby. People often say that horror films attract unusual experiences, which makes them even more curious for us. But cinema is passion, none of this feels like suffering.”
Chethan asserts that the title has a metaphorical meaning. “People say they watch thrillers sitting on the edge of their seats. That’s how Seat Edge came,” he explains. Calling this his first major step, Chethan reflects, “Cinema found me through social media, the producer found me through social media, and now the film is also about social media. I hope that connection reaches the audience.”