Selvin Desai, a tractor driver from the Siddi community, takes the spotlight as the lead in Devasasya, a film that highlights both his journey and his culture. Set in the forest regions near Sirsi, the film examines the traditions, practices, and daily lives of the Siddi people, building its narrative around a rare and mystical plant believed to have healing properties.
Directed by Karthik Bhat, the project aims to bring a lesser-known cultural landscape to mainstream cinema. Selvin, who had never acted before, spent nearly two years preparing for the role, and his shift from a working-class life to becoming a film protagonist stands out as one of the film’s key highlights. Produced by Ananthamurthy M Hegde under Ananth Films, the story is set in 1995 and moves between two villages, portraying community dynamics and conflicts. To authentically recreate the period, the team built a detailed village set and shot for 93 days, completing the final schedule at Puttanna Kanagal Studio.
The ensemble cast also includes BimbikaJ Rao, Ahan Gowda, Prakash Belawadi, Pramod Shetty, Ayyappa Sharma, and Geetha Siddi. On the technical front, the film has stunt coordination by Mithun Singh of Kantara-fame. It is worth noting that the film employed over 150 Siddi artists.