Director Shashank, known for his family and romantic dramas, is taking a daring detour with his latest film Brat. The filmmaker, who has long bet on emotional narratives, now explores the world of cricket, betting, and greed. The film stars Krishna, credited as Kristy, along with Manisha Kandakur in the female lead, and features Achyuth Kumar, Ramesh Indira, Dragon, Gaurav Shetty, and Sanchit in pivotal roles.
Reuniting with producer Manjunath Kandakur, Shashank calls Brat his most high-stakes project yet. “Yes, Krishna and I have consistently been part of love and family dramas. But we realised that the love for money is bigger than everything else. That’s the ultimate love story,” he says, ahead of the film’s release on October 31. “Brat does have a heroine and emotions, but at its core, it revolves around the love for money.”
In a country where cricket is treated almost like a religion, portraying its darker side is no easy task. Shashank admits he was prepared for the challenge. “Any topic, whether it is cricket, caste, or religion, has a flip side, and people are aware of that. Our focus is not on what cricketers do off the field but on cricket betting and how the general public gets pulled into it,” he explains.
The director clarifies that Brat neither glorifies nor moralises. “I am not defending or criticising it; I am only holding up a mirror to reality. The younger generation treats betting like it is normal. Our film deals with offline betting, not online, since that has been banned by the government. But offline betting exists and continues to thrive.”
To ground his story in realism, Shashank met several youngsters and individuals involved in betting. “Before writing Brat, I studied their process, business structure, hierarchy, and psychology. Then I gave it a cinematic form without losing authenticity,” he says.
The director, who last ventured into a commercial setup with Bachchan, calls Brat a return to big-screen spectacle. “A straightforward sports film is predictable. We have seen many biopics and cricket-based dramas. I found the darker side more interesting as it is unexplored territory,” he says.
Cinema itself, Shashank believes, is a gamble. “Yes, Brat is a risky subject, but it is a calculated risk. I am not doing it blindfolded,” he admits.
On casting Krishna, Shashank explains, “After Kousalya Supraja Rama, I knew Krishna could carry something different. Initially, I considered a newcomer, but from both creative and investment perspectives, we needed an established actor. Krishna suited the role perfectly. He underwent workshops, worked on his tone, physique, and hairstyle. He has three distinct shades in the film, and designing his transformation took time and precision.”
Shashank credits composer Arjun Janya and cinematographer Abhilash Kalathi for shaping the film’s mood and texture. “Arjun has composed a couple of songs that fit the story beautifully. But the real heartbeat of Brat lies in its background score. It is vibrant, experimental, and complements Abhilash’s visual tone,” he adds.
Though Brat was initially envisioned as a pan-India release, the team decided to begin with Kannada. “We started with the idea of going national, but we realised that before stepping outside Karnataka, we need to earn our space here. If the film connects, the audience will take it beyond borders. That is how Kantara grew, and we are following a similar path.”
For Shashank, cricket is merely a backdrop, while the real conflict lies in human greed. “While cricket is a sport, in Brat it becomes a battleground for money. People might know betting exists, but they rarely see how deep it goes. We have kept it grounded, but the entertainment factor is very much intact,” he concludes.
