Rakkasapuradhol antagonist Anirudh Bhat: Raj sir made sure the audience recognized me

Rakkasapuradhol: Anirudh Bhat’s mentally disturbed antagonist in the Raj B Shetty-led film had won a lot of praise, a role that he says he could pull off with a lot of support from the latter.

Anirudh Bhat (right) is the antagonist in Raj B Shetty's Rakkasapuradhol

Rakkasapuradhol, the Raj B Shetty-led crime thriller directed by debutant Ravi Saranga and produced by veteran stunt master Ravi Verma, has been in theatres for over a week. The film has received average to good reviews from audiences and critics alike, with one character in particular getting stand-out praise, despite limited screen time. Anirudh Bhat played twins Aadi and Aruna to great effect – one being numb to his emotions, physically strong and willing to do anything to fulfil his brother’s wishes, while the other has the mind of a child. Anirudh nailed the characters, in terms of their look, body language and speech too.

The character, of course, was revealed only towards the end of the film and Anirudh’s casting became known only after the release. But since then, Raj has been at the forefront of ensuring that audiences take note of this promising talent from Kannada cinema. Touched by Raj’s gesture, during the making of the film and thereafter too, Anirudh took to social media with a long note of gratitude.

Anirudh on how he overcame self-doubt...

In his note, Anirudh reminisced about the moments spent with Raj over the last couple of years and his personal learnings from the actor-filmmaker, in terms of the craft and more. “Initially, I was scared to take on this role; I wondered if I could pull it off. It was only after you said, "You can do it, magane, go ahead," that I began to trust myself to do the role,” wrote Anirudh, adding, that Raj was the epitome of patience during the shoot and helped the newcomer to correct his mistakes. Every time that Anirudh was struck by self-doubt, Raj saw him through that and instilled confidence in him.

Also read: Rakkasapuradhol movie review: Raj B Shetty’s crime thriller is a bumpy yet satisfactory ride

After the film came out, Raj made sure that audiences recognised the actor and pushed him to the forefront at all their public appearances and theatre visits. “You treated my happiness as your own; you pushed me to the front and stood behind me,” wrote the young actor, ending his note with his most profound learning, “One can learn filmmaking from anyone. But how to be a good human being, how to cultivate good qualities, how to be pure-hearted, and how to ‘be love itself’— I learnt a little of that from you.”

Rakkasapuradhol, also starring Jahangir, Gopalkrishna Deshpande, Archana Kottige, Swathishta Krishna, B Suresha, among others, is currently in theatres.

Rakkasapuradhol FAQs

Q. Where to watch Rakkasapuradhol?

A. Rakkasapuradhol released in theatres on February 6, 2026. After the theatrical run it will begin streaming on Zee5, via OTTplay Premium also. It is expected around March 6-7.

Q. What is Rakkasapuradhol about?

A. Rakkasapuradhol is a mystery thriller about a murder case, that the towns folk believe is the work of the Kolli Deva. Is there a supernatural element to this killing?

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