Darshan Thoogudeepa's The Devil sets December release date; fans have one major hope

The Devil sets December release date: Shortly after the first single from The Devil was released, in a separate post, the team surprised Darshan fans with the film’s theatrical release date

Darshan in The Devil

Fans had hoped for the release date announcement along with the first song, Idre Nemdiyaag Irbek from The Devil, but that was not to be. It was assumed that the makers would announce it soon enough on another day, but then, out of the blue, in a separate post only hours after Idre Nemdiyaag Irbek came out, they revealed that The Devil had settled on its theatrical release date. Director Prakash Veer’s film will be in theatres on December 12, 2025.

Once the announcement came, the actor’s fans responded with their one big hope – that Darshan be out of jail in time for the film. Now, that maybe a long shot, as Darshan’s release is contingent on his team filing a fresh bail application based on changed circumstances, if any, or on the trial court’s proceedings in the Renukaswamy murder case culminating. It is expected to take at least 6 months for the trial court to complete hearings in the case, reports state.

Also read: Idre Nemdiyaag Irbek: First single from Darshan’s The Devil is a complete celebration package for his ‘celebrities’

What's December looking like at the Karnataka box office?

As it stands now The Devil has a solo release window on December 12, with no other major film yet in direct competition. However, in the week before, on December 5, there’s Ranveer Singh’s much-awaited Durandhar, as well as Prabhas’ The Raja Saab. Then, on December 19, the third instalment in the Avatar franchise, Fire and Ash releases, while the Christmas week has the Kannada film 45, Alia Bhatt’s Alpha and Adivi Shesh’s Dacoit.

The Devil, of course, will release with a Kannada version only, so its direct competition is only 45 as of now, which is two weeks later. Unless, of course, Dhruva Sarja’s KD The Devil joins in or Kiccha Sudeep’s untitled Kiccha47, which he wants in theatres for Christmas. Whether or not the choice to be sandwiched between The Raja Saab, Durandhar and Avatar will work out for The Devil remains to be seen.

FAQs

Q. Why was Darshan arrested?

A. Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024 in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case. 35-year-old Renukaswamy was tortured to death for allegedly sending lewd messages to Darshan's alleged partner of many years, Pavitra Gowda and at his behest, the former was brought to Bengaluru, where he was beaten up and later succumbed to his injuries. Pavitra is accused number 1, while Darshan is accused number 2.

Q. When was Darshan given bail?

A. Darshan was granted interim medical bail in late November claiming he needed surgical intervention for a bad back issue. He was then granted regular bail by the High Court in mid-December, the circumstances of which have been questioned by the Supreme Court, which, on August 14, 2025, 8 months later, cancelled his bail.

Q. What was Darshan's last release?

A. Darshan's last release was Tarun Sudhir's Kaatera (also available on OTTplay Premium), which came out on December 29, 2023 and became the year's highest grossing Kannada film.

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