No IIT, no NIT: Mahesh Babu invests in Mumbai gaming company. Who are co-founders Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta?

Actor Mahesh Babu has entered India's gaming industry as a strategic investor in Mumbai-based Shotgun Games, a studio founded by Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta. The company is developing Project Takedown, a big-budget action-adventure game set in a near-future Mumbai and designed for PC and consoles. The investment has brought attention to the founders, who want to create an Indian gaming franchise with international appeal. Neither founder's education profile lists an IIT or NIT degree. Here's what we know about the duo and their plans.

Who are Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta?

Jeet Chandan and Vidhit Mehta founded Shotgun Games, a video game development studio based in Mumbai that focuses exclusively on PC and console games.

Chandan studied at Jain International Residential School, where he pursued the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Mehta attended Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce (ASMSOC), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

What is Project Takedown?

Shotgun Games is working on its flagship title, Project Takedown, a 10-to-15-hour action-adventure game set in a near-future Mumbai. It is being developed for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with players in the US, Europe and Japan among its target audiences. The founders expect to release it by the end of 2028.

Chandan announced Mahesh Babu's involvement in a LinkedIn post, saying the actor had joined as a strategic investor. He also shared the company's ambition to build a game made in India, set in an Indian city and enjoyed by players worldwide.

What will Mahesh Babu bring to the gaming startup?

Mahesh Babu confirmed his association through an Instagram post, writing, “Building the next era of PC and console games.” He also mentioned meeting the founders and expressed excitement about Project Takedown.

Speaking to ET, the actor said Indian cinema had already demonstrated its global storytelling power and that interactive entertainment was the next frontier. Apart from investing, he will help develop characters and immersive worlds, drawing on his experience in cinema.

Shotgun Games plans to expand beyond the game into films, merchandise and other entertainment formats. Its founders are targeting a billion-dollar company within five years, with plans to enter game publishing and invest in other gaming properties.