**Shanil Guru** (also credited as **Shaneel Gautham**) is an Indian actor and writer who works predominantly in Kannada cinema, closely associated with the coastal Karnataka filmmaking wave spearheaded by Rishab Shetty and Raj B. Shetty. Beyond his work on screen, he contributed behind the scenes as a writer on Rishab Shetty's pan-Indian blockbuster *Kantara* (2022). Working within the film's creative and writing department, he helped craft the authentic coastal folklore, dialect, and grounded rustic textures that became defining hallmarks of the global hit. As an actor, he first captured attention as a child artist playing the lovable character **Gautham** in the National Award-winning comedy-drama *Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale, Kasaragodu, Koduge: Ramanna Rai* (2018). He later stepped into adult lead roles, notably portraying **Ravi Anna** in J. P. Thuminad's rural horror-comedy *Su From So* (2025), backed by Lighter Buddha Films. Balancing storytelling, scriptwriting, and performance, he has grown into an important creative collaborator within Sandalwood's new-age coastal cinema movement.
