Sharmiela Mandre on The Devil: My character is the surprise element of the film
Sharmiela Mandre almost missed out on being a part of Darshan Thoogudeepa’s The Devil, but the character eventually came to her, reuniting her with the actor after 18 years
Last Updated: 04.10 PM, Dec 04, 2025
When director-producer Prakash Veer first approached Sharmiela Mandre to be a part of his film with Challenging Star Darshan, at first she was not in a position to take it up because of date issues, even though she quite liked the character. Turns out, the role was predestined for her, as it came back to her at a later stage, by which time she could sign up and shoot for it as well, marking her and Darshan’s reunion after 2007’s Navagraha .
Sharmiela: Powerful role with scope for performance in The Devil
The team of The Devil has been quite tight-lipped about everything related to the film and the hope is that a basic gist will be revealed when the trailer drops on December 5. Sharmiela’s character is unlikely to be a part of that, though. “I have a pivotal role in The Devil and share screen space mostly with Darshan and Achyuth Kumar sir, but one thing that Prakash was clear from the start was that my character would be kept under wraps. It is the surprise element of the film and all I can say is that it is a very powerful character with great scope for performance, which is also why I took it up,” said Sharmiela in conversation with Vishwavani.
Sharmiela says that she shot for her portions in Mysuru and Udaipur earlier this year and her first impression on the set was that it felt like no time had passed between the last time she worked with Darshan and now. “It was almost as if I was back on the set of Navagraha; only this time I was not the heroine,” she said, adding that she was very comfortable working on The Devil, on account of the good rapport she shares with both Darshan and Achyuth.
Considering that she joined the set after Darshan’s release on bail in the Renukaswamy murder case, did the subject ever come up in discussion on set? “It was a very professional set; everyone just focused on work and completing the film as soon as possible,” said Sharmiela, adding that she firmly believes that The Devil will appeal to fans and make them happy.
The Devil FAQs
Q. What was Darshan Thoogudeepa's last release?
A. Darshan Thoogudeepa was last seen onscreen in 2023's Kaatera , which is available on Z5 (via OTTplay Premium also).
Q. What is Darshan's next film?
A. Darshan's next is The Devil, which has him reuniting with Tarak maker Prakash Veer. The film had been announced as a December 12, 2025 release, but has now been advanced by a day. The film is being released in the actor's absence, as he is currently in jail in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case.