'The Devil' hits theaters despite lead actor Darshan's legal troubles

Entertainment Dec 19, 2025

The Kannada action film The Devil just released, even though its star Darshan was arrested in June for allegedly murdering Renukaswamy.
His ongoing legal issues threw the production into uncertainty, and the team only got censorship approval less than a day before release—but they pushed through.

Saregama stands by the film as fans show up

Music label Saregama, which owns the film's rights, supported the project by not pulling their funding, even after Darshan was re-arrested in August 2025.
Despite all this drama, theaters were packed on opening day—proof of Darshan's huge fanbase.
Playing two roles, his performance mixes crime and entertainment, which, according to director Prakash Veer, has engaged audiences of all age groups.