Telugu film star Mahesh Babu has invested in Shortgun Games, a Mumbai-based studio building original Indian video games for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The deal was announced on November 3, 2026. He joins as a strategic investor, and neither side has disclosed the amount or the size of his stake.
The move puts one of South India’s biggest box-office names behind a studio that wants to make premium, story-driven console games with Indian characters and settings, and sell them in North America, Europe and the UK as well as at home.
What is Shortgun Games?
Shortgun Games is an interactive entertainment studio in Mumbai, run by co-founders and directors Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta. Instead of chasing the mobile market that dominates Indian gaming, the team is focused on high-budget PC and console titles aimed at a global audience.
Chandan said the goal is to build “durable, cross-media franchises that transcend regional boundaries,” according to The Week. Mehta described the actor’s arrival as a major milestone for the studio.
Project Takedown: an action game set in near-future Mumbai
The studio’s flagship is Project Takedown, a narrative-driven action-adventure set in a near-future Mumbai. It is planned for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a campaign that could run around 10 to 15 hours. Release is expected by the end of 2028.
To give the combat a cinematic feel, Shortgun has brought in action director Vicky Arora, known for his work on Uri: The Surgical Strike, RRR and Tanaav. He is overseeing motion-capture choreography, combat previsualization and stunt mechanics, as reported by Business Today.
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More Indian games in the pipeline
Beyond Project Takedown, Shortgun is working on Age of Bhaarat and Son of Thanjai for global markets, plus a smaller indie title called Roll ’em Out. Mahesh Babu said India has “extraordinary creative potential” and that the time is right to build original characters and worlds from the country.
The announcement came on the same day that cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar’s investment in Metasports Interactive, the maker of Hitwicket, was made public, a sign that Indian celebrities are taking a closer look at the country’s gaming sector.
Key details
- Investor: Mahesh Babu, as a strategic investor (amount not disclosed)
- Studio: Shortgun Games, Mumbai; co-founders Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta
- Flagship game: Project Takedown, action-adventure set in near-future Mumbai
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
- Expected release: by the end of 2028
- Other projects: Age of Bhaarat, Son of Thanjai, Roll ’em Out
Big-budget console games made in India are still rare, so celebrity money alone will not guarantee success. But a star of Mahesh Babu’s reach could help Shortgun with visibility, partnerships and future funding as it moves toward launch. For the biggest releases arriving this month, see our November 2026 game release guide.
Sources: Business Today, The Week. More: Gaming News.
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