The trend of films being released in two parts is getting popular in Kannada cinema. Following the line of blockbusters like Baahubali and KGF, and the yet-to-be-released Kabza and Totapuri, will be Suni’s upcoming directorial, Avatar Purusha.

The family entertainer, starring Sharan and Ashika Ranganath, is backed by producer Pushkar Mallikarjunaiah, and the makers say they felt the content demanded they take this route.

According to the director, Avatar Purusha was initially written as a web series, and they later planned to make it into a film. The team did not want to miss out on Sharan’s audience, and at the same time, they wanted to experiment with new elements. This is one of the reasons for the film coming out in two parts.

“The first part of Avatar Purusha, which will have the tag line, Ashta Digbandana Mandalaka, will bring Sharan’s popular characterisation blended with humour. The second part, which is captioned as Trishanku, will explore the magic elements, a plot that is less touched in Kannada films,” says Suni, who is planning to have a screen time of 2 hours 20 minutes for each instalment.

Both parts of the film, which is currently in the last stage of shooting, will be completed this month, and the makers are working out a plan to have a back-to-back releases of parts 1 and 2. The production house is contemplating a release around Sankranthi.

Along with the lead pair, the cast of Avatar Purusha includes Sai Kumar, Sudharani, Bhavya, and Kitty. The film’s music has been composed by Arjun Janya, while the cinematography is by William David.