Exclusive! Shiva Rajkumar to undergo digital de-aging seen in Laal Singh Chaddha, The Irishman for M.G. Srinivas' 'Ghost'

Veteran actor Shiva Rajkumar concluded 2022 with a noteworthy performance in Vedha, a film that marked his 125th outing as a leading man. The 60-year-old actor is currently one of the busiest actors in the business with multiple exciting gigs in the offing that range across a variety of genres. One such alluring film is M.G. Srinivas' heist action thriller Ghost wherein the Hattrick Hero will be seen in a rather slick and suave avatar - Srinivas, the writer-director of the film, reveals that the entire team has been striving hard to offer something new and authentic to the audience and that Shivanna's characterization in the film - from the physical look to the demeanour - will be one to watch out for. 

And in this pursuit, Shiva Rajkumar's character in Ghost will undergo a deft digital de-aging process, making it arguably the first attempt of its kind in Kannada Cinema. The team unveiled a special motion poster earlier today, on January 1, to offer a small glimpse of the de-aged version of the character, which includes an overhaul revision of his appearance. One sees the revolutionary technology being employed in famous Hollywood titles such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Gemini Man, and The Irishman along with Indian films like Fan, Laal Singh Chaddha, and others.

"There is a significant portion in Ghost that requires us to use the de-ageing process and we are currently in talks with a Vancouver-based agency about it. While I can't reveal the exact significance of this portion, I can tell you that we are not doing it for the sake of vanity or just to please audiences with fancy technology. The storyline of Ghost sees his character in multiple different shades and de-aging is a crucial part of the vision."

"Both Shivanna and our producer Sandesh Nagaraj have been extremely supportive in this because not only is the technology expensive but also time-consuming. You would have seen films Gemini Man and Laal Singh Chaddha employ it and this will the first of its kind for Kannada Cinema," shares Srinivas in an exclusive chat. 

As far as the making of Ghost is concerned, Srini adds that about 60% of the shoot is already completed with a majority of the talkie portions wrapped up. The upcoming few schedules will lay extensive focus on the action blocks of the film and the team plans on completing production by the end of February. Ghost, which also stars veteran Malayalam actor Jayaram and Hindi actor Prashanth Narayanan, will be a 2023 release.