Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 5, 2020)

If you've watched Dibakar Banerjee's segment in Ghost Stories, it is easy to see that Gulshan Devaiah can be a show-stealer when given a meaty role. Now, the actor has given his nod to a project after the Netflix anthology — Devaiah, who has been in talks with Kirik Party (2016) director Rishab Shetty for his next, Rudraprayag, has signed on the dotted line.

In a short span, Shetty has established himself as an acclaimed actor-director. His 2018 directorial venture, Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai, won the National Award for Best Children's Film. "For me, Rishab's past victories mattered little compared to the fantastic material he brought to me. When I first heard the narration, I was bowled over," says Devaiah of the story that revolves around nine principal characters. While the director has been tight-lipped on the plot, veteran actor Anant Nag and Shraddha Srinath have been roped in for the bilingual (Kannada and Hindi).

"I said yes to Rishab without ever having watched any of his films. What appealed to me was his passion and ambition to tell his stories his own way. He is [one of the directors who belong to] the new wave," adds Devaiah, who will begin shooting for the film in June.