Abhishek Manjunath, known for his expertise in visual effects, always harboured a keen interest in direction. “I learnt VFX to understand the craft better and explore direction,” he says. His journey began under the guidance of director Suni, assisting him in multiple films, including Operation Alamelamma. “I did the VFX for all of Suni’s films till Alamelamma. Then, I started a VFX studio along with Sachin, the director of Rakshit Shetty's Avane Srimannarayana, which gave rise to Pinnaca Quality Studio.”

As a VFX artist, Abhishek has worked in over 30 to 40 films, gaining recognition with 777 Charlie, and contributing to Kantara: Chapter 1, Brat, and the upcoming 45. However, direction was a path he wanted to tread, and he came up with Bank of Bhagyalakshmi (BOB), which is produced by HK Prakash, and stars Deekshith Shetty and Brinda Acharya in the lead.

The film, which revolves around five amateur thieves in a daring final heist that goes hilariously wrong, hits theatres on November 27.

While blending commercial elements with satire, Abhishek hasn’t let go of his VFX roots. “It was difficult and challenging with VFX in an experimental cinema. We have at least 700 shots, small elements, and green mat shots in BOB. The exterior of the bank is real, but the inside is a full set,” he explains.

On the creative process, he adds, “The subject of BOB was difficult. The film has a huge cast, each with a backstory and a proper arc. I spent 1.5 years writing the film. BOB was difficult for a first-time director, but balancing VFX and direction made it all the more rewarding, he signs off.