Even as Kannada star Darshan Thoogudeepa remains behind bars in the Renukaswamy murder case, anticipation for his new film The Devil has swept across Karnataka.
From viral fan campaigns to a message he sent out through his wife, Vijayalakshmi, the actor’s presence continues to dominate screens and social media ahead of the film’s December 11 release.
Darshan is currently lodged in Ballari Central Prison in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy from Chitradurga. In the midst of his legal troubles, the actor reached out to his fanbase on December 9 through a note passed on by Vijayalakshmi, thanking supporters for their relentless promotion of The Devil across the state.
“Even from a distance, I feel your presence with me every moment,” Darshan wrote, urging fans not to be shaken by “noise, rumours or negativity” surrounding him. He asked them to channel their energy toward the film and let its success “answer every question, every doubt, every voice … not with words, but with the roaring success of this film.”
Vijayalakshmi, who shared the note online, also addressed fresh allegations claiming Darshan had harassed fellow inmates, dismissing them as “baseless” after visiting the prison and speaking to officials. “Rumours about Darshan have caused me pain. The truth may remain silent for a while, but it will never bow down,” the note read.
Meanwhile, The Devil is poised for a massive opening on December 11, with nearly 90% of single screens in Karnataka allotted to the film. Distribution is handled by Supreet and BK Gangadhar of Shri Jaimatha Productions.
Despite the seriousness of the case, fans, who refer to Darshan as “DBoss” and call themselves “DArmy”, say the film’s release feels like a celebration. In several districts, The Devil will begin screening as early as 6.30 am, with shows in north Karnataka starting around 8.30 am. More than 150 early-morning shows have been confirmed.
“DBoss may be inside, but for us he’s always with us. We’ve been waiting for this day for months,” said Manoj, a 24-year-old fan from Mandya who has booked tickets for the 6.30 am and 10 am shows.
Others echo the sentiment. “We grew up watching Darshan. He’s a mass hero, a people’s hero. The Devil is our celebration,” said Prashanth, who travelled from Tumkur to Bengaluru with friends to watch the film.
For many, the early morning screening experience itself feels ritualistic. “This is our Deepavali. When Boss’s movie releases, we want to be the first to watch it,” said 19-year-old Rakesh from Mysuru.
Outside a single screen in Bengaluru, fans were seen putting up cutouts and garlands as preparations began before dawn. The rush reflects the film’s strong advance bookings. Over one lakh tickets were sold online within a day of sales opening on December 6. Another 30,000 tickets have been sold offline. Ticket sales totals have crossed two lakh ahead of release.
This intense show of loyalty is not entirely new to Kannada cinema, which has seen sporadic fan vandalism over the years. But Darshan’s following has brought to the fore a level of aggressive hero-worship rarely seen in the industry. TNM has previously reported on the brand of violent masculinity surrounding the incarcerated actor.
In Mandya, fans offered prayers for the film’s success and the actor’s “early release from jail”. Some donated books and stationery in his name. Others have gone further, tattooing his prison number, 6106, on their bodies or using it on customised licence plates.
Previously, when Darshan faced allegations of domestic violence from his wife in 2011, his film Saarathi was released while he was still in judicial custody and went on to become a massive box office hit. Producers responded to overwhelming ticket demands by adding 20 extra screens on the opening day, and theatres across the state ran at full capacity for an entire week.
Since his arrest in 2024, Darshan has become a constant figure in Kannada popular culture. His punchlines are remixed into reels, older scenes resurface as reaction memes and fan-made audio clips circulate widely on WhatsApp and Instagram.
At the same time, this digital afterlife often flattens the complexity of the moment: even as the actor remains in custody for serious allegations, his mass dialogues are being used as motivational audios or humorous edits, detached from the context surrounding him. The virality reflects both his enormous cultural footprint and a tendency within fandoms to celebrate the persona while sidestepping the difficult questions that accompany it.
The buzz around The Devil has been strengthened by a trailer that keeps Darshan’s character deliberately ambiguous, prompting speculation over whether he plays the hero, the antagonist, or both. The closing line, “Suryange tumba hotthu grahana hidiyalla, nanu bartidini chinna” (“The sun can’t stay in an eclipse for too long. I’ll be back”) has already become a favourite among fans and is circulating widely on social media.
Shot across Bengaluru, Rajasthan and Bangkok, the film features cinematography by Sudhakar S Raj and music by Ajaneesh Loknath.
A mammoth opening is expected, fuelled largely by the actor’s loyal fanbase. However, a check of aggregator platforms shows lukewarm bookings for December 12–14, which distributors hope will improve based on first-day reception.
