Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa has resumed shooting for his upcoming film Devil: The Hero in Mysuru on Wednesday, March 12. The Kannada star was in judicial custody for nearly four months in connection with the murder of a 33-year-old man named Renukaswamy.
In his first major public appearance 10 months after his arrest, Darshan visited the Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysuru to seek blessings ahead of his return to work. Images of Darshan participating in religious rituals under tight security have since gone viral on social media.
This move is similar to the last time he came out of jail in a domestic violence case where he visited the temple and did baski in front of his fans — a traditional gesture of holding one’s own ears and performing sit-ups to express regret.
Darshan and his partner Pavithra Gowda are accused of orchestrating the murder of Renukaswamy, a pharmacist from Chitradurga, who was found dead near a stormwater drain in Bengaluru. Renukaswamy had allegedly sent derogatory messages to Pavithra Gowda.
Darshan, named accused number two in the case, was granted interim bail on medical grounds on October 30 after spending 131 days in custody. On December 13, the Karnataka High Court granted regular bail to him and Pavithra Gowda, the first accused in the case. All 17 accused named in the 3,991-page chargesheet filed by Bengaluru police in September have since been released on bail.
In another development, Darshan announced that he had dropped his nephew, Chandu, from Devil: The Hero after a video showed a fan bowing down before Chandu. Expressing his disappointment, Darshan wrote on social media: “I am eternally grateful for the love and support you shower on me and my family. But, seeing a fan bow down before my nephew, Chandu, who is yet to make a mark, has deeply saddened me. This is not something I appreciate. Therefore, I have decided to drop Chandu from his special role in Devil: The Hero.”
Following Darshan's arrest, TNM spoke to his fans to understand his cult-like following. Read: Fanpower, Masculinity & Crime: How Kannada Superstar Darshan Became Prisoner No. 6106.