Malkapuram Shiva Kumar to step into Bollywood

Producer Malkapuram Shiva Kumar, who earlier bankrolled films like Shourya and Surya vs Surya, is set to foray into Hindi. He is producing a breezy entertainer starring Arbaaz Khan.

The film, that also features Nikita Dutta, is directed by Raj Ashu. “Raj is my long time friend; he’s also a music composer and I have collaborated with him for my earlier films. When he narrated the script, I thought it was witty and that actors could be cast in hitherto unseen roles,” said the producer, adding that the film is in the last leg of production.

The film was shot in Kashmir, Mumbai and heritage locations in Lucknow.

Shiva Kumar has already backed Hindi web series. “We have produced content for 100 episodes of a series for an OTT platform, so we felt this was a great time to reach out to wider audiences who are looking for meaningful content,” he says. “My Telugu film Thiragabadara Saami is up for release; another untitled film directed by Shravan Jonnada is under production. I want to strike a balance between both the industries,” Shiva Kumar shares.

Raj is my long time friend; he’s also a music composer and I have collaborated with him for my earlier films. When he narrated the script, I thought it was witty and that actors could be cast in hitherto unseen roles.” — Shiva Kumar