Four years after making his directorial debut with Sambho Shiva Shankara, filmmaker Shankar Konamanahalli returns with Bingo, an edge-of-the-seat suspense thriller scheduled to hit screens across Karnataka on September 25.
Produced by SA Lalitha Swamy and R Parankusha under the banners RK Studios and Mutharaa Ventures, and presented by Mirana Motion Pictures, the film brings a gripping blend of realism, contemporary ambition, and high-stakes manipulation.
While the title might suggest a lighthearted pastime, Shankar clarifies that it conceals a far more sinister plot. "At face value, everyone understands the classic game, and our story operates on a very similar board," the director explains. "The protagonist uses key individuals, played by Ragini Dwivedi, Raksha Nimbargi, and Rajesh Nataranga, as central pillars, moving them around like pieces in a larger setup to achieve his own ends."
Far from an ordinary tale of chance, the narrative taps into an untold financial controversy. "It is not about an online game or casual gambling; it revolves around a massive money scam," reveals Shankar. "The plot is inspired by real-world events that unfolded during the demonetisation note-ban era, when a scam running into thousands of crores took place in our country. Because of various governmental entanglements, it never fully became sensational news across the mainstream media. We took those startling ground realities, blended them with dramatic tension, and gave them a cinematic shape. In a crux, Bingo is a human chessboard of greed," the director says.
The script has been penned by lead actor RK Chandan, who makes his transition from television, where he earned household fame in serials like Mangalyam Thanthunanena, to feature films as both writer and protagonist.
Describing his on-screen persona, Chandan shares, "He is a relatable boy-next-door who talks a very big game. He does not have a single rupee in his pocket, yet he boasts about buying expensive cars or launching massive business ventures. In today's world, whether it is friendship, romance, or commerce, everything has become transactional, almost like a gamble. The film captures that pulse." Chandan also credits his family for backing his long-cherished dream: "My brother treated me like a son and stood as the backbone of this production; on my phone, his contact is still saved as 'Senior'."
Ragini Dwivedi steps into a pivotal, multi-faceted role that adds substantial weight and action to the proceedings. "Ragini ma'am plays a very special and mysterious character with two distinct shades that she has not explored before," Shankar notes. "The moment she walks into the narrative, the entire dynamic and flavour of the movie shifts completely."
Ragini echoes the excitement of stepping into an action-packed avatar: "My character brings a strong element of mystery and two distinct shades to the screen. Why should only heroes have all the fun wielding machetes and guns? I love performing action sequences. But beyond the thrills, the film holds up a mirror to today's generation, which is relentlessly chasing money and fame at the cost of basic values."
Raksha Nimbargi, who plays Ramola, emphasises the grounded nature of the writing. "The character is rooted in truth. We have not targeted anyone; rather, we have mirrored situations where transactional mindsets fracture relationships."
Rounding off the technical crew, Shankar has reunited with his core team from Sambho Shiva Shankara, with Nataraj Maddala handling the cinematography and Hithan Hassan scoring the music. The ensemble includes Rajesh Nataranga, Shravan Kumar, Pavan Kumar, Apoorva, Murali Poorvik, and Mithun Tejaswi.
