Kannada films in theatres in August 2023: From Namo Bhoothatma 2, Thothapuri 2 to Kshetrapathi, Baang and Toby

After a rather dull start to the year with no film making a mark in the Kannada film industry in the first six months, July finally brought a ray of sunshine with three films finding favour with audiences despite competition from big-ticket movies. First the campus comedy Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare went on to become a runaway hit although it came out along with Oppenheimer and Barbie, and in the week that followed, Aachar & Co, a film set in 1960s Bengaluru about women’s empowerment and gender equality, as well as Kousalya Supraja Rama, which tackled male chauvinism, have been doing well at the box office. This despite the big Hindi release of the week, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.

Can the Kannada films set to hit theatres in August sustain this momentum? Let’s take a look at the titles that have confirmed their date with audiences. 

Namo Bhoothathma 2

This horror comedy starring Sensational Star Komal Kumar in the lead, reunites him with choreographer-director Murali master after a decade. The duo had earlier made Namo Bhoothathma, which was a remake of a Tamil film. This time around, Murali presents an original tale revolving around a bunch of friends at a house in Chikkamagalur and the paranormal forces they encounter. Namo Bhoothathma 2 will be in theatres on August 4

Sheela
This Kannada-Malayalam bilingual is Ragini Dwivedi’s first release since 2019’s Adhyaksha in America. The film has Ragini as a single mother, whose attempts to sell some ancestral property left behind by her late husband is met with terrible obstacles. The film releases on August 4

Thothapuri Chapter 2
The second instalment of director Vijayaprasad’s film with Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh has chosen to clash with Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth at the box office. Thothapuri Chapter 2, which will have Dhananjaya and Suman Ranganath in more prominent roles than in the original, will be out on August 11.

Kshetrapathi
One of the new breed of actors who has been making the right waves in Kannada cinema is Naveen Shankar, who rose to fame with Gultoo. The actor, who has had notable stints in Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage, Hondisi Bareyiri and Gurudev Hoysala in recent times, gets his next solo lead film in Kshetrapati, a film about agrarian issues. It hits theatres on August 18

Baang
Debutant director Sree Ganesh Parashuram presents a dark comedy about four friends and a mysterious bag that comes in their possession. The troubles they face because of this bag forms the crux of the story. The film, which releases on August 18, stars Ritvik Muralidhar, Sunil Gujjar, Natya Ranka, Saatvika, Shanvi Srivastava and Raghu Dixit in pivotal roles.

Toby
Actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty’s next big presentation is the revenge drama Toby. Directed by Raj’s long-time associate Basil AL Chalakkal, Toby has been written based on a story by Dayanand TK. The film also stars Gopalkrishna Deshpande, Chaithra J Achar and Samyukta Hornad among others. With music by Midhun Mukundan and cinematography by Praveen Shriyan, both of who have worked on Raj’s earlier Ondu Motteya Kathe, Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana and Swathi Mutthina Male Haniye, Toby will be in theatres on August 25.