Hindi film producer Mahaveer Jain is taking a Kannada science-fiction project nationwide. His banner, Mahaveer Jain Films, has joined director Simple Suni’s Lambodhara 2.0 for a simultaneous theatrical release in Kannada and Hindi on November 20.
Simple Suni, known for Simple Agi Ondh Love Story, Chamak and Ondhu Sarala Prema Kathe, is shifting from romance and comedy to high-concept sci-fi. The film blends science, suspense and comedy, and its subject is built for a wide release: digital addiction, social media validation and the search for genuine entertainment.
A humanoid robot in a major role
The production’s most striking element is JIA, a real humanoid robot created by Bengaluru-based Machani Robotics. The team is positioning JIA as a historic first for Indian cinema: a humanoid robot with a major on-screen part. That gives the social commentary a practical edge, because the same film asks how much control technology should have over our feelings.
The plot turns on a high-stakes “Happiness Challenge” that rewards participants while quietly controlling their feelings. Its central question is simple: does technology bring true joy, or are we giving away our free will?
Why the Hindi release matters
Jain’s involvement is a distribution decision, not just a creative one. Mahaveer Jain Films is known in Hindi cinema for Uunchai, Ram Setu and Good Luck Jerry, and is developing Sooraj Barjatya’s next film and Kartik Aaryan’s Naagzilla. Backing Lambodhara 2.0 gives the banner an entry into the regional space with a title that can play to multilingual audiences from day one.
The move fits a growing pattern in which Hindi producers treat strong regional ideas as national inventory. What is less common is launching the Kannada and Hindi versions together rather than testing one market first. That structure preserves the original film’s texture while giving Hindi audiences the release date, cast and promotional push of a first-run title.
Jain was drawn to the project after Suni showed him the concept, visual execution and robotic integration, and he pushed for a nationwide Hindi rollout.
- Lead actor Anil Shetty makes his screen debut and also writes and produces under MASS Production.
- Kunal Kapoor, Saachi Bindra, Meghana Gaonkar and Mack D’Souza take key roles.
- Santhosh Rai Pathaje is the cinematographer; Veer Samarth has composed the score.
For Hindi cinema, a simultaneous bilingual opening is a faster route than the familiar cycle of a delayed dub or an official remake. The release will test whether a Kannada-origin social thriller can stand directly alongside Hindi titles, and whether a working robot on screen becomes an attraction or a novelty.
Source: The New Indian Express
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