After decades behind the microphone as a dubbing artiste and as a TV actor, Yashwanth Bijoor is making his directorial debut with Vidhooshaka. Produced under the Yash Bijoor Productions banner, the comedy crime thriller is scheduled to hit screens across Karnataka on November 20.

Filmmaker KM Chaitanya, who released the trailer,  recalled his longstanding creative association with the debutant director. "Yashwanth has been a close associate since my very first film, lending his voice to several projects and acting in a television serial I produced," said Chaitanya, adding, "Seeing someone with decades of industry experience take the leap to direct and produce his own film is genuinely heartening. The crew is filled with familiar, hardworking talents who deserve this breakthrough."

For Yashwanth, the film is the realisation of a six-year dream. "Directing a film has always been the end goal. Cinematographer Parameshwar and I spent months fine-tuning the script, planning budgets, and pre-visualising lighting setups and camera movements long before rolling the first shot," said Yashwanth.

The film centers on an unusual psychological premise: a protagonist grappling with severe gynophobia, an irrational fear of women. Yashwanth revealed that the script has roots in an actual event. "It starts on a comedic note around the hero’s phobia, but quickly takes a sharp turn into a full-fledged crime investigation," he said, adding, "We intentionally cut the romantic song from the theatrical cut and will release it only as a lyrical video online, ensuring the second half never loses its investigative momentum."

Vidhooshaka stars Ravi Salian in the lead, while former television actor and journalist Amrutha Upar marks her feature film debut as the female lead. Amrutha noted, "Transitioning from journalism and television to cinema with Vidhooshaka has been a demanding, collaborative experience. The team treated the film like a labour of love."

With cinematography by Parameshwar, editing by Nagendra Urs, and music by Vijay Rai, the supporting cast includes Hedduru Manjunath Shetty, Nipun, and Suhas Athreyas.