Three years ago, Natesh Hegde, the writer-director of the critically acclaimed Kannada film Pedro, was pleasantly surprised by an appreciation post from Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. This unexpected connection blossomed into a friendship, with the two often meeting at film festivals worldwide and in Mumbai. This personal bond has now evolved into a professional collaboration, as Natesh is currently in Mumbai shooting for Anurag's upcoming dark comedy thriller, where they both have significant roles.

Reflecting on the contrast between Indian film industries, Natesh admires the ease with which Bollywood produces films compared to the regional industries. He believes that the established market in Hindi cinema allows filmmakers to work without the pressure faced by smaller industries like Kannada, who operate on a fraction of Bollywood's budgets.

Drawing from his background in theatre, Natesh shares that he has experience as an actor as well. He mentions his involvement in the upcoming film Vagachipani alongside Dileesh Pothan, and also recalls acting with Anurag in a Malayalam movie called Rifle Club. While acting is an enjoyable experience for him, directing remains his true passion.

Natesh emphasizes the importance of cross-industry collaborations, noting that such partnerships can benefit artists and filmmakers by providing new opportunities and helping them grow creatively. He credits the support of fellow professionals like Rishab Shetty and Raj B Shetty for his success in making Pedro and believes that working with talents from different industries is the future of filmmaking."I believe in focusing on improving myself rather than fixating on the number of views on OTT platforms. Our primary goal should be to create quality films and work closely with diverse creative individuals." — Natesh Hegde, filmmaker