GamingNov 3, 2026, 11:28 PM UTC·2 min read

Mahesh Babu Buys Minority Stake in Shortgun Games Studio

Actor Mahesh Babu has taken a minority stake in Mumbai studio Shortgun Games, which is building the PC and console title Project Takedown for global markets.

Indian actor Mahesh Babu alongside concept art of a near-future Mumbai from the action-adventure game Project Takedown. — Image: mint

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Actor Mahesh Babu has acquired a minority stake in Shortgun Games, a Mumbai-based gaming startup, for an undisclosed amount. The deal marks his entry into India's video game development sector.

The studio is developing Project Takedown, a story-led action-adventure game set in a near-future Mumbai. It is expected to run 10 to 15 hours and is planned for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The founders are targeting the US, Europe and Japan, with a release expected by the end of 2028.

Funding so far

Neither the size of the investment nor the stake has been disclosed, and there is no valuation for the company. In August 2025, Shortgun Games raised $1 million (about ₹8.7 crore at the time) in seed funding from angel investors and a family office. That money was meant to build a minimum viable product and hire as needed. The company also said then that it wanted to raise another $5 million to take the game from a polished prototype to full production. There is no confirmation that this round has closed.

Co-founder Jeet Chandan said Mahesh Babu's involvement would help the studio improve its technical capabilities and keep the quality it is aiming for. The company plans to expand its technical team and bring in more creative talent.

More than money

Under the partnership, the actor will work with the studio on original gaming intellectual properties, starting with Project Takedown. He said India's creative potential can produce original characters and cinematic worlds with global appeal, and that the founders' ambition to meet international standards was key to his decision.

Shortgun Games was founded in 2022 by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta. It started with Web3 and mobile games before switching in 2024 to PC and console development. Action director Vicky Arora, whose credits include Uri: The Surgical Strike, RRR and the series Tanaav, is leading combat choreography and motion-capture work. The studio is also making an independent cooperative adventure, Roll 'em Out.

The backing brings visibility to a young studio, but the real test will come at launch, when Project Takedown must show that an Indian team can deliver a premium game in a crowded international market.