Suresh Mallaiah, known simply as “Suri” to those close to him, sits today at the editing desk of one of the most highly anticipated films: Kantara Chapter 1. Yet, his path to the cutting room was anything but conventional. A former popcorn seller, office boy, and data entry operator, Suresh never stepped into a film school. His education was the everyday hustle, his lessons picked up on the job, and the first person's name he mentions is Puneeth Rajkumar, whom he fondly calls Appu. The story begins in 2003, when an 18-year-old Suresh was selling popcorn outside a park in Sadashivanagar. Puneeth Rajkumar, fresh from the success of Appu and preparing for Abhi, would often pass in and out of the park during his walks. Their interactions were fleeting, but life-changing. “First time, when he saw me selling popcorn, he told me there is space for youngsters and I should look out. The second time, he insisted I learn something innovative. That’s when I stopped selling popcorn.” What followed was a string of jobs, from office assistant to DTP operator. With fast fingers on the keyboard, Suresh landed at ETV through a friend and senior, Jagadish. In 2006, he joined studios as an office boy, sneaking peeks at editors at work. “I would often just stand and watch, fascinated by how they shaped stories. That’s how my real training began,” he says.

A turning point came in 2014, when Suresh met Raghavendra Hunsur, who later took him to Zee Kannada. There, Suresh rose to become Chief Editor, handling fiction and non-fiction shows while continuing to nurture his cinematic ambitions. Suresh’s big break in film editing arrived with Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare (2019), directed by Nithin Krishnamurthy. Cinematographer Arvind Kashyap, who met Suresh during the shoot and recognised his sharp eye for rhythm and cuts, recommended him to Rishab Shetty. That recommendation eventually placed Suresh at the heart of Kantara Chapter 1 backed by Hombale Films. “When Rishab saw my work at the first edit, on action sequences, he was impressed. That was enough for me to give my whole heart to the project,” says Suresh. The editor balanced his regular role as post-production director while immersing himself in the editing suite. He devoted himself fully, describing the process as relentless: “Kantara Chapter 1 doesn’t let you go easily.” For Suresh, the process was as much about learning as delivering. He says, “Rishab always had a structure in mind. He would narrate clearly, and after each draft, he’d shuffle and tweak. Over time, I understood his rhythm. The challenge was to reduce corrections, to get closer to his vision. That’s where I grew the most.” Having honed his craft in television, Suresh enjoyed bringing cinematic instincts to serials too, with Jothe Jotheyali, where he experimented with unique cuts and cinematic style. Suresh explains, “Television is about reactions, cinema is about breathing space. With Kantara, the grandeur was in giving space to the scenes. That’s something I carried forward in my editing.”

In order to immerse himself in the mythical world of Kantara, Suresh had to grasp the spiritual undercurrents. He says, “A friend of mine from Mangaluru explained the Guliga tradition of that region. Understanding that helped me approach the sequences with reverence. All gods are the same, but traditions differ, and that texture had to reflect in the cut.” For Suresh, the edit desk became both a temple and a battleground. “Editing is like stitching. If the stitch is strong, the film lives. Rishab is straightforward. If it works, he says so. If not, he says that as well. That honesty kept me on my toes,” he says. Even as the world waits for Kantara Chapter 1, Suresh admits he is already in its hangover, having lived with the film for a long-time. As a viewer, he believes audiences are in for something rare. “Every character, from Rishab to Jayaram sir, is mesmerising. The grandeur, the divine elements, the scale, it’s unlike anything.”

Gratitude runs through Suresh’s journey, with Puneeth Rajkumar, Jagadish, Raghavendra Hunsur, Arvind Kashyap, Rishab Shetty and Vijay Kiragandur, forming milestones on his path. Yet he returns, once again, to where it all began. “What Appu sir told me back then became my reality. He was my divine guide. If he hadn’t said those words, I’d still be selling popcorn. Kantara Chapter 1 is the life he unknowingly set me on,” concludes Suresh.