Satyadev Kancharana was overwhelmed with superstar Chiranjeevi's wish for his upcoming film, Zebra, which he says has amplified the film ahead of its release on November 22. The actor visited Bengaluru for a pre-release event and met Shivarajkumar, who also wished him well. “Shivanna is so warm and wished the best for our film,” shared Satyadev in an exclusive conversation with CE. Speaking about the project, he revealed, “The universe is conspiring for Zebra. It’s a story of risks, luck, and the spectrum of human nature.”

The intriguing title, Zebra, holds layered meanings, he says. “It’s a metaphor for black and white—representing money laundering, morality, and judgment. Our director, Eashvar Karthic, crafted a story where shades of black and white dominate. You can’t pinpoint who’s good or bad as the lines between both blur from time to time,” explained Satyadev.

For Satyadev and Dhananjay, Zebra symbolises a leap of faith. “I quit my job as a software engineer in Bengaluru, and Dhananjay also left a stable career path. Taking risks has led us to this platform, a multilingual film releasing in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi. Without risk, luck doesn’t come," says Satyadev as he talks about working on the film with Dhananjay. "Film-wise, we share a parallel journey too, starting with short films. He has this effortless menace and a unique ability to command presence with minimal expression. I knew he was perfect for the role the moment our ideas clicked.”

In Zebra, Satyadev plays a wealthy manager whose world collides with Dhananjay in this heist thriller. “As a relationship manager, I manage numbers until cash turns real, and then trouble begins. That’s where the story takes into high stakes and deeper conflicts.”

Eashvar Karthic's vision impressed him. “He’s a phenomenal writer who balances commercial appeal with artistic depth. The film reveals aspects of the banking system that we think we know but don’t and that are woven seamlessly into an engaging, layered story,” he says.