Media Release
Bengaluru, Sep 11: Atheria 2026, a media, design and art fest organised by the School of Communications and Media Studies at St Joseph’s University, was inaugurated on Thursday, September 10, at the University’s Main Auditorium. The chief guests for the ceremony were Kannada actors Nirup Bhandari and Shanvi Srivatsava who spoke about their experiences in cinema and the importance of human emotions and in the age of AI.
The inauguration began with music and dance performances by students. The chief guests inaugurated Artistica, Allura and the Rushes National Film Festival (RNFF). Actor Pruthvi Ambaar, who was also expected to attend the event, could not make it due to an unspecified reason.
Actor Nirup Bhandari spoke about his journey into acting and filmmaking during the ceremony. He said that learning opportunities in filmmaking and acting were very less when he first started his career. Nirup worked at SAP Labs as he was an engineering student, while pursuing his interest in acting. He later practiced in theatre, method acting and voice training and also learned body movement through an Assamese theatre group.
Nirup Bhandari also motivated students to make use of the opportunities available to them today, as it wasn’t available for him. “You can ask AI to structure your script, structure your story, do all those things, but human emotion is something that should come from us. And with all this technology, everything can only make your film look good, but if your writing doesn't work, your film will not work.” Nirup Bhandari said. He also spoke about the importance for filmmakers to get a sense of both the creative and commercial parts of cinema. “One thing you should remember as filmmakers is that filmmaking is not just art, it's also commerce. So, you have to combine both when you make your first film.” He added.
Shanvi Srivastava spoke about her long journey in the film industry and her early beginnings in acting. She said she started her career around the age of 15 and went on to work in films across different languages. Having completed her education up to class 12 in Azamgarh, she described her journey in cinema as challenging as well as rewarding.
“It was a long, beautiful, tough, sweet and sour journey. And today when I am sitting here talking right in front of you all, I see myself somewhere sitting there. It feels extremely beautiful, nostalgic, overwhelming and grateful.” Shanvi also spoke about the relationship between art and commerce. She told students not to lose their love for art while trying to find success in a competitive industry. She said, “While running this race to do something better and to be better than the others, we forget this love for art. We fall behind commerce”
Atheria 2026 also featured the promotion of the chief guests and actors upcoming film “America America 2”. The inauguration event gave students an opportunity to interact with the prominent actors from the Kannada film industry and learn from their experiences.