Bande Saheba, a film inspired by the life and sacrifice of martyred police officer PSI Mallikarjun Bande, has completed its principal photography. The makers have launched the film's teaser at a packed event that brought together key names from the project and political circles.
Directed by debutant Chinmay Ram, Bande Saheba is based on a real incident that shook Gulbarga a few years ago. Officer Mallikarjun Bande tragically lost his life during a daring police operation to capture a notorious rowdy-sheeter. His bravery and dedication left a mark on those who knew him—and now, through this film, it is set to affect an even wider audience.
“We didn’t want to fictionalise his story—we wanted to relive it,” says director Chinmay Ram. “Our team spent time in Gulbarga, spoke to people who worked with him, and tried to capture both his duty and his humanity.”
Actor Santosh Ram steps into the challenging role of Bande, while Kavya Bharadwaj plays the female lead. The story, screenplay, and dialogues have been penned by Veeranna Koralli, who also plays a crucial role in the film. The project is backed by producers Gopanna Dodmani, Kamala Dodmani, and Mala V Koralli under the banner of Mallige Cine Combines.
At the teaser launch event, actor Sharan officially unveiled the film’s first glimpse, joined by director Tharun Kishore Sudhir, MLA Raju Gowda, and DS Max’s Dayanand. A special moment during the event was the release of a tribute song dedicated to the late Puneeth Rajkumar, unveiled by Tharun Sudhir and Raju Gowda.
The team is closer to completing the post-production phase and is now gearing up for the film’s release.
“Bande Saheb will be a tribute and a salute,” said producer Gopanna Dodmani. “To a man who gave his life wearing the khaki, and to a legacy that deserved a screen as large as his spirit.”