The first-look poster of Bheem & Rao gets straight to the point. Directed by Islahuddin NS and produced by MP Gireesh Samrat under Nature Lord Productions, the image shows Vasisshta Simha in a police uniform, standing in front of the Vidhana Soudha, the national flag, and a massive crowd. Carrying the line 'The Revolution for a Solution', the team has avoided the usual pan-India tag, choosing instead to call it a "National Cinema" built on Dr BR Ambedkar’s ideas.

For Vasisshta, announcing the project on his birthday makes it special, and he admits he didn't pick this film as part of a career strategy. "It is a statement about what we need today," he says, and adds, "This is the need of the hour for our country, and it is serious work. When people like your work on screen, you cannot just do films for numbers or money. I am not interested in that. Whether it's a main lead, villain, or character role, the size of the part doesn't matter to me as long as the story has value. I love my country, and when a story like this came along, I simply could not say no."

Explaining why they avoided calling it a pan-India film, Vasisshta says the difference is in the story itself. "Pan-India has just become about dubbing a movie into four or five languages," he says, and explains, "We call this a national film because the story belongs to everyone in India. Our language and faces are from Karnataka, but the central talk is about the whole country. The Constitution, equality, and justice are not regional topics. They matter to every single citizen."

Films that tackle social issues can often feel like lectures, but Vasisshta says the team knows the value of entertaining the audience. "A movie has to work in theatres; there is no doubt about that. But you also have to give good content within that setup. If you make it like a slow art movie or a documentary, it will not reach the masses. By masses, I mean the common people. Dr Ambedkar’s message is for all people, so it has to be told in a way that connects with them."

Wearing the police uniform for such a serious theme meant doing a lot of homework. "A cop role needs physical fitness, but playing the lead in a film like this needs mental preparation and reading as well," Vasisshta shares. "We have all read about Dr Ambedkar and our history in school, but you cannot take this film lightly. We had to read more, discuss, and understand things deeply. Today, people judge you very quickly. If you say one thing, they call you left; if you say another, they call you right. You need strong conviction to ignore all that talk and stand by what is just."

With his other film Kadal Kote almost done, with just two songs left to shoot, team Bheem & Rao is fine-tuning the script, and producer MP Gireesh Samrat is directly involved. "This story was written by Gireesh himself," Vasisshta explains. "He has worked on this topic for many years. Every year on Ambedkar Jayanti, he takes around 200 to 250 people—school kids, reporters, and officers—to Mumbai so they can understand who Ambedkar really was. When a producer who knows the subject so well writes the script, it has real weight."

Vasisshta also points out why having a producer involved in writing helps the film. "Before release, a movie is art; once it hits theatres, it becomes a business. When someone puts crores of rupees into a film, shouldn't they know the script well? When a producer sits in the writing room, he knows where his money is going. That clarity stops a lot of problems on set."

Giving the directorial duties to his close friend Islahuddin was also a clear choice. "He is a good friend, but you do not give a big film like this just for friendship," Vasisshta says. "Islahuddin reads a lot and knows film craft as well as the realities of our society. Good talent needs the right stage, and with this project, things came together well."