Mahesh Babu joins Mumbai-based Shortgun Games as a strategic investor to back PROJECT TAKEDOWN, a high-budget action-adventure game for PC and consoles.
M Snehanjali
November 04, 2026 / 19:31 IST
The studio’s flagship project under this collaboration is PROJECT TAKEDOWN, a high-budget, narrative-driven action-adventure game.
Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu is venturing into the gaming industry as a strategic investor in Mumbai-based development studio Shortgun Games. The actor has joined hands with the studio’s co-founders, Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta, to develop original intellectual properties (IPs) aimed at the global PC and console gaming markets.
The collaboration will focus on creating high-end, franchise-driven gaming experiences for platforms such as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The partnership aims to bring together Indian storytelling and advanced gaming technology to develop titles that can compete with international releases.
The studio’s flagship project under this collaboration is PROJECT TAKEDOWN, a high-budget, narrative-driven action-adventure game. The title is being developed with an international audience in mind, with markets such as North America, Europe and the United Kingdom among its key targets.
Speaking about his association with Shortgun Games, Mahesh Babu said, “Interactive entertainment is the ultimate frontier where narrative depth, cutting-edge technology, and global culture intersect.
“India has extraordinary creative potential, and the time is right to build original characters and cinematic worlds from here that resonate across the globe. What drew me to this company is Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta’s clarity of ambition and their drive to create high-end PC and console experiences that stand shoulder-to-shoulder with international studio benchmarks. Backing young, visionary creators with such a defined technological roadmap is deeply inspiring, and I look forward to supporting our shared vision with PROJECT TAKEDOWN.”
Shortgun Games, founded by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta, has chosen to focus on PC and console gaming at a time when India’s digital entertainment industry has largely been driven by mobile gaming. Through this approach, the studio hopes to establish its presence in the global gaming space by developing detailed virtual worlds, engaging gameplay and cinematic storytelling that appeal to core gamers.
The team has also brought on board Indian action director Vicky Arora to oversee the game’s action design. Arora, who has worked on films such as Uri: The Surgical Strike, RRR and Tanaav, will help shape the combat sequences and action experience in PROJECT TAKEDOWN.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Babu is also preparing for his next big-screen outing with filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi. The film also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran and is scheduled to release in April 2027.
M Snehanjali is a Sub Editor and journalist with over two years of experience covering general news and entertainment in digital newsroom.
first published: Nov 4, 2026 07:30 pm
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