The latest star kid to enter Sandalwood is Shashikumar’s son, Adityaa Shashikumar. The former, now a politician, was one of the most sought-after stars in the 90s, and has worked in many Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films. However, Shashikumar’s stardom was cut short when he met with an accident and underwent surgery, but he still continues to be part of films in supporting roles.
His son, who is 23-years-old, is taking his father’s legacy forward and will be joining hands with director Siddharth Maradeppaa, who is making his directorial debut with this film. “The director has come up with a fresh love story with a mass appeal. In all likelihood, the film’s muhurath is planned around the second week of July, and pre-preparation is in full swing right now. In fact, a photo shoot is planned for this week, followed by a formal announcement by the makers regarding the title, technicians, and cast,” our source tells us.
The debutant director is excited about launching a star’s son, and Adityaa has been training in stunts, dance and acting over the last three months. Apparently, the director was looking for a fresh face, and when he found out about Shashikumar’s son’s acting interests, he got in touch. “Shashikumar did not instantly approve. It took one-and-a-half months of discussions before he gave his go-ahead,” say our sources, adding, “Interestingly, the subject was liked by the whole family, including Shashikumar’s father, and they think the subject will be a good kick-start to Adityaa’s career.”
Apoorva to be paired opposite Adityaa
Apoorva, introduced by actor-director-producer Ravichandran, has been roped to star opposite Adityaa. Aproova, who took a short break after her debut, is now back and is keeping herself busy with various projects. She will be seen next in the Victory sequel that stars Sharan and directed by Hari Santhosh. She and is also part of two of Ravichandran’s - Rajendra Ponnappa and the recently-announced Piece Piece. The project with Adityaa will be her fifth Kannada film.
First independent film
Siddharth Maradeppaa has 11 years of experience in the film industry. He has associated with directors such as P Vasu, Sadhu Kokila and Nagashekar, and has worked as co-director for films such as Drishya, Myna and Maasti Gudi. Helming a project with Adityaa will be his first independent feature film.