USG FILMS  ·  DEMO REEL

U S G
FILMS NC

Where Vision
Meets Cinema

Award-Winning Independent Filmmaker
Festival Circuit  ·  Global Distribution
Cannes  ·  Dadasaheb Phalke  ·  World Film Carnival

“Stories that transcend borders and challenge the human condition.”

Umashankar Gummadidala is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and editor whose work spans continents and genres. From a Cannes-selected short to a feature drama celebrated across international festivals, his films explore guilt, identity, and the complexity of the human spirit. Based in the United States, Gummadidala brings a rare multicultural perspective to every frame — crafting narratives that resonate with audiences worldwide.

20+ Years
4 Films
6+ Festivals
3 Intl. Awards
3 Continents

The Work

Short Film Thriller

Interpret

2005  ·  Short  ·  Thriller

An FBI contract agent is tasked with interpreting the conversations of Mahen — a criminal with a history and a dangerous ability to disappear without trace.

Short Film Thriller 2005
CANNES 2011 Short Film Drama

Guilt

2011  ·  Short  ·  Drama

A young woman confronts a life-changing decision through a dream-within-a-dream. Shot in both black & white and color, Guilt is a visual meditation on choice, consequence, and the weight of memory.

Short Film Drama Cannes Selection 2011
Feature Film Drama ★ 6.3 IMDb

TEST

2019  ·  Feature  ·  Drama

Kurt Longson — a grieving father — hires an army veteran as a hitman to exact revenge for his daughter’s death. But as the truth surfaces, his journey transforms from vengeance into redemption.

Best Cinematography 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award

Festival Selections

IndieFest Art is Alive Dadasaheb Phalke World Film Carnival SG First-Time Filmmaker Sessions
Available on Plex
Feature Film Drama 2019

Future Projects

The next chapter of USG Films — ambitious productions built with real talent, Unreal Engine virtual production, and AI-assisted tools that deliver prestige quality at a fraction of traditional cost.

IN DEVELOPMENT PREMIUM TV SERIES 17 EPISODES · SEASON 1

SARVA-DARSHANA

THE COURT OF MANY WORLDS

CREATED BY

Umashankar Gummadidala

Research Triangle, North Carolina

"Sixteen philosophies. One royal court. A reckoning that will decide what is real."

In 13th-century Deccan, King Harihara opens his court to sixteen rival schools of thought — turning abstract debate into the most dangerous game in the kingdom. A self-taught servant whose sister's freedom hangs on the verdict. A disguised enemy spy who starts, against his will, to listen. A grieving queen weaponizing private loss into public reckoning. And the scholar whose pen quietly decides what survives as history. Every episode: one philosophy, one human life on the line, one turn of the screw.

SERIES SPECIFICATIONS

FORMAT 2-Season Series · 9 + 8 Episodes
GENRE Historical / Philosophical Thriller
SETTING 13th-Century South India

·

LANGUAGES Telugu · Tamil · Hindi · English
SOURCE Madhavacharya's Sarva-Darshana-Sangraha
UNIVERSE 17 Episodes · 16 Darshanas · Franchise IP

·

TARGET Netflix India · Prime Video · JioHotstar
PRODUCTION Unreal Engine · Virtual Production · AI-Assisted Tools
COST ADVANTAGE 10–20× Below Traditional

WATCH · INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD

THE ENSEMBLE · 22 CHARACTERS · ONE UNFORGETTABLE COURT

CHANDRA

The servant who reads — her sister's freedom depends on the verdict.

QUEEN BHUVANESHWARI

Grief turned to fire — forcing debate into open court.

KARIKALAN

A spy who maps the palace — and finds himself drawn to the ideas he came to dismiss.

MADHAVACHARYA

The scholar whose pen decides what survives as history.

THE OPPORTUNITY · THE WORLD IS FINALLY WATCHING INDIAN STORIES

$9.2B

India digital video / OTT revenue by 2030 (~12% CAGR)

357M

Projected SVOD subscriptions by 2030 — world's largest market

>50%

Of paid OTT subscriptions now non-Hindi regional content

$37B

India media & entertainment sector by 2026

Sources: Media Partners Asia; EY; Statista; ZEE5 (2025–2026). Figures are market estimates.

THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE · 10–20× LOWER COST PER EPISODE

LIVE ACTION · VIRTUAL PRODUCTION

Real actors. Real performances. Unreal Engine drives photorealistic LED volume stages — delivering period-accurate 13th-century palace sets and Deccan landscapes that no physical location can match, at a fraction of the construction cost.

AI-ASSISTED PIPELINE

Advanced AI tools work alongside the production team at every stage — from pre-visualization and costume reference to VFX compositing and color grade — amplifying the craft of real artists without replacing the human storytelling at the center of every frame.

LEAN LOCAL TEAM

Based in Epic Games' backyard — the Research Triangle, NC — with direct access to the world's deepest Unreal Engine talent pool, NC State film pipeline, and ongoing conversations with experienced South Indian cast and crew.

ALREADY BUILT · PRE-PRODUCTION IS UNDERWAY.

Pilot Script

Episode 00 — the prologue — written to professional draft.

Character Bible

22 characters, historically grounded to sculptural sources.

582-Shot Reference System

Visual reference library across five angles and thirty expressions per character — ready for casting and production design.

Production Pipeline

Script to screen — pre-vis, virtual sets, performance capture, AI-assisted VFX, and post — all integrated and ready to scale.

Costume Accuracy

Period-correct 13th-century drape, locked against anachronism.

Talent Access Identified

Raleigh–Durham casting pool, Unreal Engine community, and NC State film pipeline — plus ongoing conversations with seasoned South Indian talent.

Ready to shoot the proof-of-concept the moment funding lands.

PRODUCTION ROADMAP · FROM ENGINE TO FRANCHISE

INVESTOR STRATEGY · WHY 2 SEASONS

Every landmark Indian prestige drama — Sacred Games, Mirzapur, The Family Man, Heeramandi — ran 8–10 episodes per season. This is the format OTT platforms commission, renew, and market. A 2-season structure gives investors two financial milestones, platforms a proven asset before Season 2 greenlight, and audiences a reason to stay subscribed between seasons.

SEASON 1

9 Episodes

The court opens. The philosophies clash. The servant rises.

SEASON 2

8 Episodes

The reckoning arrives. The pen decides what history remembers.

1

0–3 MONTHS

Proof-of-Concept

Sizzle reel and signature pilot scene shot on Unreal Engine volume stage with live cast. Assemble core virtual production team.

2

3–9 MONTHS

Full Pilot

Deliver Episode 1 with full cast, virtual sets, and AI-assisted post. Begin streamer outreach — Netflix India, Prime Video, JioHotstar.

3

9–24 MONTHS

Season 1 (9 Episodes)

Produce and deliver all 9 episodes. Multi-language masters. Platform release drives audience data for Season 2 greenlight.

4

YEAR 2+

Season 2 + Franchise

Season 2 (8 episodes) completes the arc. Seasons 3+ across the remaining darshanas. Spin-offs and ancillary IP.

Ready to invest in the next prestige global series?

INVESTOR PITCH DECK AVAILABLE UNDER NDA · CONFIDENTIAL

AND BEYOND

An active slate of independent film ideas — features, series, and genre projects spanning multiple formats and markets — all open for early investment discussion.

USG Films is not a one-project company. Alongside Sarvadarshana Sangraha, there is a growing body of original concepts across drama, thriller, and genre storytelling — each with the same foundation: a distinct voice, a global audience in mind, and a production approach built for today's independent market. Investors who come in early have the opportunity to be part of the conversation from the ground up.

Start the Conversation →

Recognition

🏆

Best Cinematography — Winner 2021

Art is Alive Film Festival  ·  Glendale, WI

Won Best Cinematography for TEST (2019) — recognizing exceptional visual storytelling and cinematographic craft at the IMDB-qualified Art is Alive Film Festival.

🏅

Outstanding Achievement Award

World Film Carnival  ·  Singapore  ·  Narrative Features

TEST (2019) honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award for Narrative Features at World Film Carnival Singapore — an IMDB-recognized international festival.

🎬

Cannes Film Festival Circuit 2011

Festival de Cannes  ·  Short Film

Short film Guilt screened on the international festival circuit with a 2011 Cannes presence — establishing USG Films’ work on the world stage of independent cinema.

IndieFEST Film Awards Selection

IndieFEST Film Awards  ·  La Jolla, CA

TEST (2019) recognized by IndieFEST Film Awards — a 17-year international competition — for its compelling narrative drive and technical excellence.

🌴

Dadasaheb Phalke International Selection

Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival  ·  Mumbai

TEST (2019) selected for international competition at the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival — one of India’s most prominent independent film platforms.

🌟

Art is Alive — 5 Nominations · 1 Win

Art is Alive Film Festival  ·  IMDB Recognized

TEST received five nominations — Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (×2), Best Cinematography — and took home the Best Cinematography award.

Commercial Work

Proven expertise in brand storytelling for the advertising world.

Legacy

TV Commercial

Bhindi

TV Commercial

KB Zaveri

TV Commercial

Additional commercial reels available upon request.

Partner with USG Films

We are actively seeking investment partners for our upcoming slate of productions. USG Films brings a proven festival track record, international distribution experience, and a unique voice in independent cinema.

🏆

Festival Proven

Multiple international selections including Cannes 2011 and Dadasaheb Phalke International, with a consistent track record of critical recognition across 6+ festivals.

🌎

Global Reach

Films distributed across 3 continents, available on platforms including Plex, with an established international distribution network and festival relationships.

🏭

Unique Voice

Stories that bridge Eastern philosophy with Western narrative structure — a rare creative positioning with significant untapped audience potential in global markets.

Current Opportunity

Sarvadarshana Sangraha

Production Budget Open for Discussion
Expected Completion TBD
Distribution Global OTT + Theatrical
Genre Historical Philosophical Drama

What happens next

  1. 1You submit interest via the form.
  2. 2We respond within 5 business days.
  3. 3NDA and deck available on request.
  4. 4Nothing on this page is a securities offer. See Terms.

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Press & media

Request the press kit

Working on a feature or festival piece about USG Films? Send us a note and we'll share the EPK — bios, high-res stills, film synopses, and press contacts.

or email usgteams@gmail.com