Telugu cinema star Mahesh Babu has taken a minority stake in Mumbai-based Shortgun Games, a studio building big-budget action games for PC and consoles. The investment amount is undisclosed, but the move marks the actor’s first major step into India’s fast-growing gaming industry. The studio’s flagship title, Project Takedown, is a 10-to-15-hour action-adventure game set in a near-future Mumbai, built for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A release is planned for the end of 2028.
A New Kind of Action Role for Mahesh Babu
Mahesh Babu is known for his work in front of the camera, but this deal puts him in a different kind of role. He joins Shortgun Games as a strategic investor, not just a financier. The actor will work with the studio’s founders to help shape characters and build story worlds, drawing on his experience in cinema.
The partnership was announced on November 3, 2026, through social media posts from the actor and the studio’s co-founders. Mahesh Babu shared the news on Instagram with a short message: “Building the next era of PC and console games”.
For the actor, the appeal is clear. He sees interactive entertainment as a natural next step for storytelling.
“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.”
— Mahesh Babu
Who Is Behind Shortgun Games?
Shortgun Games was founded by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta. The two are not from the traditional engineering school pipeline. Chandan studied at Jain International Residential School, and Mehta attended the Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce in Mumbai.
The studio itself has been operating since 2021, though it initially worked on Web3 and mobile games before shifting its focus fully to PC and console titles in 2024. The team includes developers who previously worked on the online game Rogue Heist, and about 25 percent of its development staff is based overseas.
In August 2025, Shortgun Games raised $1 million in seed funding from angel investors and a family office. That money was used to build a playable version of their game and to bring in more talent.
What Is Project Takedown?
Project Takedown is the studio’s main bet. It is described as a high-budget, narrative-driven action-adventure game built for players in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, and other global markets. The game is set in a near-future version of Mumbai, and the founders expect it to launch by the end of 2028.
The studio is not treating this as a small project. Shortgun Games has brought in Vicky Arora, a well-known Indian action director whose credits include Uri: The Surgical Strike, RRR, and the web series Tanaav, to lead the game’s action design. Arora’s team has been working on motion-capture choreography, combat pre-visualization, and physical stunt mechanics. The goal is to bring the timing and physicality of live-action stunts into the game’s combat sequences, rather than relying only on standard animation.
“We founded Shortgun Games with a singular focus – to prove that India can engineer world-class interactive entertainment for PC and modern consoles. Having Mahesh Babu sir come on board alongside Jeet and me as a strategic investor is an extraordinary milestone. His intuitive understanding of large-scale storytelling, emotional connection, and mass resonance elevates our entire vision as we bring Project Takedown to life.”
— Vidhit Mehta, Co-Founder and Director, Shortgun Games
Why This Deal Matters for Indian Gaming
India’s gaming market is large, but it has been dominated by mobile games. The PC and console segment is smaller, yet it is growing, and it is the space where big-budget, story-driven titles compete globally.
Shortgun Games is one of a small number of Indian studios trying to build a premium PC and console franchise from the ground up. The studio’s founders have said their goal is to create lasting franchises that work across media and travel beyond regional borders. They also plan to expand the Project Takedown universe into films, merchandise, and other entertainment formats.
“Our goal has always been to build durable, cross-media franchises that transcend regional boundaries. Mahesh Babu sir’s trust in our roadmap provides a massive vote of confidence for our entire team. His strategic involvement empowers us to scale our technical capabilities, expand our creative talent, and execute at uncompromising quality standards.”
— Jeet Chandan, Co-Founder and Director, Shortgun Games
The studio has also set a long-term target of becoming a billion-dollar company within five years, with plans to enter game publishing and invest in other gaming properties.
What Else Is in the Pipeline?
Project Takedown is not the only game Shortgun Games is working on. The studio also has a cooperative indie title called Roll ’em Out in development. That project sits alongside the larger flagship title, giving the studio a mix of a big-budget action game and a smaller cooperative experience.
For Mahesh Babu, the investment adds to a business portfolio that already includes AMB Cinemas, a multiplex venture, a production house called GMB Entertainment, a luxury dining brand, and a stake in the health and wellness startup Fitday.
Release Information and Platforms
Project Takedown is being built for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The studio has not announced a specific release date, but the founders have said they are targeting the end of 2028.
For players in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and other global markets, the game is being designed as a full-priced, story-driven console and PC experience. It is not a mobile game, and it is not a free-to-play title. The studio’s aim is to compete with international action-adventure releases on production quality and cinematic storytelling.
A Studio Built to Compete Globally
Shortgun Games is based in Mumbai, but its ambitions are international. The studio’s development team includes professionals based outside India, and the game’s target markets are the US, Europe, and Japan, among others.
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The involvement of Vicky Arora is a key part of that plan. His work on Uri: The Surgical Strike and RRR is known for grounded, physical action. Bringing that approach into a game means the combat is being designed around real stunt work and motion capture, not just keyframe animation.
“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.”
— Mahesh Babu
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